LondonSquirrel

New charges for A&E: Migrants will pay MORE for NHS | Politics | News | Daily Express

Lots of misinformation in the article and it seems very unclear who they are targeting this at. I wouldn't call a visitor a 'migrant' just as one example.

DaveLovesDee

Non-EU migrants on Spouse visas or work visas already pay £200 per year NHS Surcharge (£150 per year on Student visa) whether they use the NHS or not. This fee is additional to the relevant visa fee.

The proposal to charge visitors is an attempt to change the charging from 'at point of use' - ie on admission to hospital as an in-patient, to 'point of entry' - ie being required to pay before entering the UK as a visitor. Of course, no refund will likely be given if the NHS is not used during the visit.

The current rules allow anyone to see a GP or seek emergency treatment for free, no matter where they are from.

Gozit

Especially if it isn't refunded upon leaving the UK if the NHS isn't used that sounds like a ridiculous proposal. The easier thing to do would be to require that non-EU nationals visiting the UK for tourism purposes have valid medical insurance. EU nationals for the most part would have their EHIC cards, and anyways as long as the UK remains in the EU/EEA they can't require EU nationals to prove health insurance or anything like that, as per EU law only "cursory checks to prove identity and nationality" on EU nationals entering an EU country with a valid travel document.

aries

If we stay in the EU I doubt if there will be any changes, Cameron doesn't have the will to upset his European masters.

DaveLovesDee

What 'European masters'?

And what do they have to do with the NHS surcharge for non-EU nationals?

Tr1boy

Aren't there some EU countries that don't recognize the EHIC cards? ( France or Spain, I forget). If EU nationals are coming to the UK and and accessing the health system then the same set of circumstances should exist in every EU country, which I don't think it does.

Gozit

Well irregardless it is against EU law to impose such fees or checks on EU nationals so it won't happen as long as the UK remains in the EU/EEA.

No. All EU countries issue an EHIC and all EU countries must recognise the EHIC. The catch is, the EHIC only entitles you to care matching what a resident/national of that country would receive. For example, a Brit in France using his EHIC to receive healthcare whilst there would only receive healthcare for what a Frenchman would get, *not* service equivalent to the NHS.

DaveLovesDee

Exactly. EU member states cannot impose requirements on other EU nationals that do not also apply to their own nationals.

Exactly, and at the same cost, instead of the charge for 'foreign nationals'.

In law though, a EHIC is only supposed to be for visitors to other EU countries, and an EU national and their family members become eligible for healthcare as a person exercising treaty rights on either an employed/self-employed basis (working) or a self-sufficient/student (with relevant health insurance) after 3 months in the host country and applying for a Residence Card there.