Hospital

[northernladyuk]

Why not? If you have an NI number you are either a British national or a non-British resident who has successfully applied for one. That pretty well covers those entitled to free NHS treatment, with the exception of EU nationals covered under the reciprocal arrangements. What am I missing here?

People with a national insurance number who are not resident are not entitled to routine NHS treatment with a few exceptions.

[d000hg]

Doesn't happen, the lefties and bremoaners told us.

Even though it does, but it's clearly an alternative fact.

When did anyone claim that? Health tourism from within the EU is surely different to this, which is akin to you being admitted to hospital in the US and then legging it.

no health insurance from approved supplier = No Visa or entry.

Talk about nanny state.

[vetran]

Talk about a state protecting the needs of its citizens.

FTFY

[WTFH]

Doesn't happen, the lefties and bremoaners told us.

Even though it does, but it's clearly an alternative fact.

What percentage of these people coming here for health tourism are from within the EU? (Since you choose to claim that "bremoaners" have told us)

[NigelJK]

That's a one off. But a load of cases are deliberate

Hers was also. IIRC if you are heavily pregnant in this country they won't let you on the plane in the first place.

[vetran]

a Consultant's view, in the wail as well today.

J Meirion Thomas: The scandal of how the NHS falls prey to health tourism | Conservative Home

t was reported that half of the 1783 overseas women who gave birth at St George’s Hospital in 2015-2016 were later found not to be entitled to free NHS care. The hospital conceded that it had been targetted because it didn’t carry out robust eligibility checks. It is highly unlikely that this problem suddenly started in 2015: more likely, it has been endemic at St George’s for years, and has only recently been identified.

Assuming they each cost £2000 that would be $2M enough to pay a couple of people to collect or exclude.

Normal delivery without complications - £1174
Casarian section with complications - £3626
In-patient bed payment - £346-£420 per day
Booking appointment - £145
Follow on appointment - £65-£78

And maternity care is cheap compared to other things.

[SueEllen]

a Consultant's view, in the wail as well today.

J Meirion Thomas: The scandal of how the NHS falls prey to health tourism | Conservative Home

t was reported that half of the 1783 overseas women who gave birth at St George’s Hospital in 2015-2016 were later found not to be entitled to free NHS care. The hospital conceded that it had been targetted because it didn’t carry out robust eligibility checks. It is highly unlikely that this problem suddenly started in 2015: more likely, it has been endemic at St George’s for years, and has only recently been identified.

Assuming they each cost £2000 that would be $2M enough to pay a couple of people to collect or exclude.

Normal delivery without complications - £1174
Casarian section with complications - £3626
In-patient bed payment - £346-£420 per day
Booking appointment - £145
Follow on appointment - £65-£78

And maternity care is cheap compared to other things.

St Georges hospital isn't actually near the airports or a major train station to them so it's not surprising they haven't checked. I bet most hospitals in the SE where there are ethnic populations that aren't near the airports or a major train station to them don't check patients or weren't until recently....

In short hospital administrators are fecking lazy. If they were disciplined for not checking patients I bet they would do their jobs.

[vetran]

St Georges hospital isn't actually near the airports or a major train station to them so it's not surprising they haven't checked. I bet most hospitals in the SE where there are ethnic populations that aren't near the airports or a major train station to them don't check patients or weren't until recently....

In short hospital administrators are fecking lazy. If they were disciplined for not checking patients I bet they would do their jobs.

Agree, it seems to be apathy, maybe its a KPI set for each hospital?

% Patients identified as having NHS Entitlement.
Total Costs
Total number
Identification method.

% Patients identified as NOT having NHS Entitlement or not entitlement identified.
Total Costs
Total number


% Non Entitled Patients having cover via chargeback (Broken down by Country)
% Recovered
Total Costs

% Non Entitled patients needing to pay either via Insurance or via other payment.(Broken down by Country)
% recovered Insurance
% Recovered Payment

Total of all medical costs.
Overall total money recovered.
Total number of people still owing
Overall total money not recovered.

[psychocandy]

In the states you cannot leave the country with a health debt so it is possible to do it here.

My experience with healthcare in the USA (whilst on holidays) is that the first question they will ask is "have you got a credit card"? They dont give a monkeys about your health insurance - they want to get paid. They dont care how urgent it is.

Wife had a dental emergency at the weekend once. They made us give credit card number over the phone before they'd even consider it.

Also, daughter was ill (she was 1 at the time). Again, they didnt give a monkeys until you gave them a credit card to pay.

Why cant we do that in the uk?

[vetran]

My experience with healthcare in the USA (whilst on holidays) is that the first question they will ask is "have you got a credit card"? They dont give a monkeys about your health insurance - they want to get paid. They dont care how urgent it is.

Wife had a dental emergency at the weekend once. They made us give credit card number over the phone before they'd even consider it.

Also, daughter was ill (she was 1 at the time). Again, they didnt give a monkeys until you gave them a credit card to pay.

Why cant we do that in the uk?

Indeed and if you later check out ok then your card doesn't get charged.

Only problem is they would probably create an NHS credit card recharged by how any benefits you get.