Foreign Patients To Pay For Emergency Healthcare?

Visitors from outside the European Economic Area will pay for emergency healthcare as well to save the NHS millions of pounds.

17:11 02 November 2015

Overseas visitors may no longer expect to get free A&E treatment, ambulance services, and GP visits if a new government plan is approved. However, a source said that no-one requiring urgent care would be turned away. According to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the plan will save the NHS millions of pounds.

 

However, there are exemptions; the Department of Health said that the plan will not affect refugees asylum seekers and pregnant women who will receive emergency care without being required to pay upfront.

 

A department spokesman said: "International visitors are welcome to use the NHS, provided they pay for it - just as families living in the UK do through their taxes.

 

"This government was the first to introduce tough measures to clamp down on migrants accessing NHS care and have always been clear we want to look at extending charges for non-EEA migrants.

 

"No-one will be denied urgent treatment and vulnerable groups will continue to be exempt from charging."

 

Plans on how the government will pursue patients who did not pay are yet to be revealed as well as details whether the changes would apply to short-term visitors only.

 

All visitors to the UK and British expats are charged 150per cent of the cost of non-emergency NHS treatment to discourage people from travelling to the UK just to use health services.