Health Tourism

[mushroom25]

in the news again -
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7396707/Health-tourists-cost-NHS-150M-unpaid-bills.html

if it is indeed racist to pursue non-uk users of NHS services, shouldn't the government be budgeting for UK health services to be an international provider of free healthcare?

[Zacs-Master]

That would be ruled to be racist tho, N.

[Rockrose]

When booking in evidence of ‘right to reside’ could be asked for as they do in USA.
In the case of an emergency basic care given until evidence provided?

[fender62]

racist mmm, if i opened a store and said thieves welcomed, but payment preferred..

[naomi24]

Zacs, I can’t see why. If I go to Europe say, my EHIC doesn’t cover me for all eventualities. I need private insurance for that. Racist? No. Common sense.

[Zacs-Master]

I was going by the logic which as just voted that chasing health tourists for money is racist. If that can be voted to be racist, so can making sure people have insurance before they travel.

[Zacs-Master]

Has.

[anotheoldgit]

Since most of these non payers come from countries that receive huge sums of our money in overseas aid, perhaps we should be passing the bills over to their governments and reducing their aid by the sums owed?

[Zacs-Master]

AOG, that’s quite a sensible idea. Unfortunately it’s just been voted as racist.

[naomi24]

Zacs, //I was going by the logic which as just voted that chasing health tourists for money is racist.//

There is no logic in that.

[ToraToraTora]

AOG, that's a brilliant idea.

[EDDIE51]

As to nationallity I remember a survey that found 60% of NHS Staff are from Outside the EU . (for such surveys there are only 2 options,EU or 'Non EU) Yet more 'non news' and 'racism' from The Daily Wail!

[Zacs-Master]

N, I know. That’s why, on a previous post I put ‘logic’ in inverted commas.

[anotheoldgit]

Zacs-Master
/// AOG, that’s quite a sensible idea. Unfortunately it’s just been voted as racist. ///

No body should be put off for being falsely accused a racist.

That word holds no weight these days, it's well past it's sell by date.

[Zacs-Master]

AOG, unfortunately the behemoth that is the NHS has voted that it is. I think we all (unless you were one of the voters) agree this is utter cobblers but there you are. Strange strange times. An NHS in crisis diving it’s own grave.

[Zacs-Master]

Digging.

[youngmafbog]

Perhaps the doctors who sid this would be prepared to fund and run a free WHS? They could then treat who they like.

It's easy to spend other peoples money thought isn't it.

[anotheoldgit]

I wonder if that Nigerian mother's triplets will now be classed as UK citizens?

[vulcan42]

If the doctors who described this as racist were presented with the invoices to pay, they might review what racism meant. Anyway, since when did NHS doctors dictate government policy?

[dannyk13]

Wasn't it actually the BMA who mentioned racism?

[ummmm]

My nephew has recently gone to Canada on a two year work visa. He had to produce his insurance documents before they'd let him in.