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?

[fiction-factory]

I am pretty sure that it was said that it would cost something like £500 million pa to chase £150m pa.
Other countries seem to manage it though

[dannyk13]

Are health tourists all black or Asian ? Even if they were, to say that asking them to pay for treatment received cannot possibly be classed as racist.

[THELOONYCORBYN]

^
vast majority are africans...they do seem to have a penchant for a good old scam or fiddle..

[CrapAtCryptics]

The clue is in the name "National" not International health Service - as part of our immigration reform we should insist all people visiting this country have sufficient travel insurance to cover their needs.

[davebro]

Do like other countries - show eligibility or get the go-ahead from an insurer or let's have your credit card BEFORE treatment starts.

[bluemoon1]

I'll just throw this in, it's often cheaper to go private abroad than pay for a NHS dentist.

[aelmpvw]

every time i get a hospital appointment i get a form to fill in asking for my nationality and eligibility for treatment?

[Zacs-Master]

We seem to have started on the premise that it’s racist. Is there any proof of that before we all go haring off down a blind alley?

[davebro]

"every time i get a hospital appointment i get a form to fill in asking for my nationality and eligibility for treatment? "

Once you're 'in the system' you will have an NHS number. If I go to hospital & give my name & address they can access all the necessary details immediately.

[TonyV]

I carry my NHS card behind my driving license in my wallet.

[mushroom25]

//Is there any proof of that //
well the BMA says it is (by popular vote at their conference)

https://inews.co.uk/nhs/charging-foreign-patients-nhs-care-fundamentally-racist-doctors-bma/

[naomi24]

Regardless of race if people owe money they owe money and payment should be pursued.

[ToraToraTora]

"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? " - massive leap of illogic there me old china. Some foreigners rip us off so lets let them all? Right oh! I don't like the rip off but £150m is a tiny amount in the scheme of things and a price worth paying to have a civilised system. We should of course recover what's practical to recover but don't spend a tenner to recover a fiver.

[Zacs-Master]

Thanks for the link, mush. The world descends into further stupidity.

Zacs wonders what the nationality demographic of the NHS staff who voted was.

[naomi24]

//Zacs wonders what the nationality demographic of the NHS staff who voted was. //

I wondered that too.

[Zacs-Master]

Turkeys voting to have Christmas banned. Possibly.

[fender62]

could they not implement at airports, no insurance no flight
or if you land in the uk, before you leave you have to show insurance
or your put back on a ruturn flight home.

[Zacs-Master]

Both those things could, in today’s ‘logic’ be concluded as racist, fender.

[davebro]

My guess is that a very great number of travellers (of all races) do not have insurance covering medical emergencies in the hope or expectation that they will not need it. It would impractical to turn them all back IMV.

[naomi24]

If we stipulated that health insurance is required to gain entry into the country, perhaps those who currently arrive without it – wouldn’t. Arrive without it – straight back on the plane.