Do You Agree With This

[emmie]

having looked through this earlier i keep wondering how they work out what to charge, why doesn't everyone who comes to UK have health insurance, wouldn't that be quicker, easier, cheaper all round.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/29/jeremy-hunt-immigrants-free-nhs-services

[tonyav]

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/migrants-to-be-charged-%c2%a3200-nhs-fee

[emmie]

as per my link tony.

[Sqad]

em....this is what happens when one has State Medicine, all changes and modifications are politically motivated.

This is all about getting votes by " curbing" or attacking non EU immigrants.

£200.....£1000. It matters not one jot.......it is just a joke.....

[SeaJayPea]

Somebody's just been on the news on Radio 2 saying that they're trying to charge those people whose only purpose for coming here is for treatment for a pre-existing condition. That being the case, many insurance policies won't cover them.

On the face of it, there's not much to complain about, but I'm prepared to bet that the cost of tracing these people and collecting money from them will more than outweigh the savings made.

[emmie]

sqad, i looked at the figures they would pay, more than a joke, several hundred quid, crikey you couldn't get a locum out for 30 minutes for that.

[tonyav]

Right em, had a quick look at your link ( to fast ) and didn't see £200 mentioned.

[emmie]

i am all for charging, it's time that all health tourism was stopped. But the way they are considering doing it is a nonsense. People should have absolute proof of residency in UK, national health card, i know they could be faked, but if people are dumping themselves on our doorstep to have to their child, or treatment then going back home, then before said baby or any treatment is forthcoming, they pay...

[emmie]

there are so many variable figures for what money they cost the NHS, some say it's small beer, whilst others say it's a lot.

[woofgang]

so em, someone turns up at a hospital about to have baby, no proof of insurance, what should the hospital staff do? again, someone collapses in the street, ambulance attends, no proof of insurance, what should paramedics do?

[emmie]

they have already said that emergencies will be treated, they can pay later.

[EDDIE51]

em10 so you treat them in an emergency , heart attack for example, then they say ''sorry I have no money and no insurance'' what do you do then?
Some one could be in a serious car crash and need months of treatment and say they have no money or way to pay , what do we do ?
We don't send an ambulance to an emergency and then only take them to hospital if they are British or have travel insurance, we treat first and find out the situation afterwards.
I know that foreign women arrive in the UK in the final stages of pregnancy or even in labour and go straight to a hospital to give birth , again what do you do ? leave them to give birth on the pavement ? YOu can't take back the treatment if the patient can't pay .

[emmie]

well then you just get more an more, since when was it ever ok for people to use the NHS as their personal health service that don't live here, nor indeed pay towards it.
as per my last posting...

[emmie]

if we travel abroad don't we have to have health insurance, not to mention if in Europe a health card... EH1C.. that doesn't always cover you either, as people have found to their cost, paying out large sums of money to the doctors, hospitals because the card do not cover all eventualities. I am saying that what the government is proposing is ludicrous, several hundred quid a year, that won;t cover anything...

[EDDIE51]

That is exactly the problem, people turn up at a hospital with a serious illness or condition that need immediate urgent treatment, we treat them and only then ask about payment , we can not leave them to die. Frequently they turn out to have no money, no insurance and their home country refuses to have anything to do with them.
Doctors HAVE to treat first and worry about getting paid later.

[emmie]

were you thinking i was suggesting we leave them on the street to snuff if, heavens almighty. So we would effectively be stuck with them once they have had their treatment, if the home country doesn't want them, is that what you are saying... so it's a freebie to whoever comes here..

[EDDIE51]

We do not HAVE to have travel insurance it is sensible but not compulsory.
You could go abroad need medical treatment and then just say ''sorry I can't pay I have no money.'' what would happen?

[emmie]

if you are in the USA they won't treat you... to the best of my knowledge, it's been a while since i was there.

[Davethedog]

How much will it cost to run and enforce it? Yet again, knee jerk politics

[emmie]

so if not covered by the EHIC you would have to pay

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/countryguide/Pages/healthcareinSpain.aspx

[emmie]

who knows how much, it may well be too expensive to implement, it just means that our NHS, that you and i pay for can be accessed by anyone, at any time.
Wonder what sqad thinks, apart from that first comment, nothing further.
i also wonder what most health care professional think as well, would be interesting to have a different viewpoint....