Twinkle0927

The company needs to make the move and uprooting of your family as attractive as possible and part of the negotiations will be good healthcare coverage for all of you. And even if you could use the NHS, there would still be the cost of 2 flights (assuming the son is a minor and would need a parent to travel with him), x weeks off work (would that all be on full pay?) and other ancillary costs such as bed and board for the accompanying parent. My husband’s most recent surgery was billed to the insurance company at $75,000 - of which we paid $823. NHS often has to cancel or postpone elective procedures - this happened three times with me back in the UK for the same procedure. Imagine you’d already purchased the flights and then you got the call?

BritInParis

You don't need to be resident to visit your GP or A&E as that's primary care which is free for everyone; you do need to be for secondary care.

durham_lad

Gotcha, that makes sense.

petitefrancaise

I understand that you might want the same team to look after your son. I had a similar issue and had no choice but to get the surgery done here. It is really nice to choose your own doctor (insurance permitting!), choose the date that suits you and be in a really nice hospital with an excellent dr. Give yourself time to ask for recommendations.

Advice given to me many years ago by someone who had moved almost as many times as I have now was to "live where you are". ie find drs, dentists etc here in the US. It will help your children to settle better than if you are looking back to the UK for whatever it is. Mind you, I still get M&S and Boden deliveries!

karenkaren1

great advice!! and yes you are spot on that we preferred the continuity of the same surgeon. As to happens we were even considering keeping our UK health insurance concurrently for a year (which is a drop in the ocean compared to price of US insurance) but I think that makes a lot of sense about 'living' where u r based...
thank you

scrubbedexpat099

There was a n article in the Guardian a month or so ago where the Labour spokesperson said if you had paid taxes etc in the UK then you should be entitled to use the NHS so this may be an issue to look out for.

Twinkle0927

I'm tempted to agree with that - you are still contributing to the system so why shouldn't you be able to use it? The biggest misconception with ex-pats is they think NI contributions make one eligible for the NHS, regardless of residency.

karenkaren1

I agree - My husband will still be a business owner in UK and paying taxes. My son has a nut allergy so being able just to get epi pens would be a godsend but doesnt look like we can. oh well, u don't ask..u don't get! (im scared to even ask how much epi pens are in USA)

Jerseygirl

If you have health care insurance which includes meds it shouldn’t cost too much. Think we paid $10 for epipens.

Ask your UK GP to give you scripts and get them filled before you leave. Think they can give you 3 months supply.

GeoffM

https://www.goodrx.com/blog/generic-...-you-can-save/

Some people seem to think that since they paid into NI and/or taxes for X years, they get NHS for life. Can you imagine that here? "Hi Anthem/Kaiser/Aetna, I paid you $25k last couple of years, can I get benefits for life now?"

Twinkle0927

I don't have experience personally of epi pens but from what I've heard at work they are much cheaper in Canada. We live 100 miles from Canada and I know colleagues go to Canada for certain medicines. They would probably be able to post them to you?

Jerseygirl

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ticle31570003/

karenkaren1

I never referred to past tense, I am referring to present tense and ongoing so moot point (thanks for the link tho)

karenkaren1

thank you. Im stock piling right now so fine for the first year

scrubbedexpat099

Medicaid might be a better comparison, Or VA.