Reply to: The World's Health Service

[SueEllen]

No create a Visa grade insurance where the Insurers indemnify against all costs, they will then decide whether to sell it to you. All the government need on the Visa application is the approved Provider & a number verified by the provider. The Insurer is on the hook for costs, how they assess you is the insurers problem.

I'm just thinking stories of the UK not allowing people to leave without paying and being shoved in Wormwood scrubs would suddenly make people realise the UK wasn't a soft touch anymore for health tourism or anything else.

[AtW]

No XYZ standard travel insurance = no Visa. May cost a few million but it would mean we are covered against health tourism from those countries and we can profit from visitors who require treatment.

This.

Insurance from reputable (Lloyds of London) insurer as condition of any visa would have dealt with lots of costs, any honest visitor would be happy to pay that fee and avoid Nazi like interrogation.

[vetran]

Yes but you decided personally to get insurance that covers your pre-existing conditions.

Lots of people seeing the cost is too expensive like with car insurance, will lie and buy a policy stating they don't have pre-existing conditions to fulfill the visa requirements.

There is absolutely no way you can force someone to disclose all their medical history when buying insurance, and immigration officers won't have the time to verify everyone is covered sufficiently.

So therefore you would have to demand people to go to their doctors, like what foreign sports events still sometimes do, to get a letter to verify their health. Result is you reduce the number of tourists.

It would be far better and easier for the UK to prevent people leaving the country who haven't paid their medical bills like in the US. Plus put a few in prison if they bugger off to say France or Ireland as a warning to others.

No create a Visa grade insurance where the Insurers indemnify against all costs, they will then decide whether to sell it to you. All the government need on the Visa application is the approved Provider & a number verified by the provider. The Insurer is on the hook for costs, how they assess you is the insurers problem.

[SueEllen]

strange I just pay more for Travel Insurance with my health problems as do my much older in Laws & Father.

The insurance covers emergency treatment & repatriation.

https://www.avantitravelinsurance.co...avel-insurance

https://www.confused.com/travel-insu...isting-medical

Pre-existing travel insurance: MoneySavingExpert

Obviously if you are very ill it may cost too much.

Yes but you decided personally to get insurance that covers your pre-existing conditions.

Lots of people seeing the cost is too expensive like with car insurance, will lie and buy a policy stating they don't have pre-existing conditions to fulfill the visa requirements.

There is absolutely no way you can force someone to disclose all their medical history when buying insurance, and immigration officers won't have the time to verify everyone is covered sufficiently.

So therefore you would have to demand people to go to their doctors, like what foreign sports events still sometimes do, to get a letter to verify their health. Result is you reduce the number of tourists.

It would be far better and easier for the UK to prevent people leaving the country who haven't paid their medical bills like in the US. Plus put a few in prison if they bugger off to say France or Ireland as a warning to others.

[vetran]

Insurance market doesn't work like that I'm afraid.

strange I just pay more for Travel Insurance with my health problems as do my much older in Laws & Father.

The insurance covers emergency treatment & repatriation.

https://www.avantitravelinsurance.co...avel-insurance

https://www.confused.com/travel-insu...isting-medical

Pre-existing travel insurance: MoneySavingExpert

Obviously if you are very ill it may cost too much.

[SueEllen]

You can but if there is an expectation that they will be insured then there is an expectation they will be charged.
If when they try to charge the Insurance they refuse then they are in breach of their visa conditions.

The Insurance should cover all illnesses and if it doesn't then its not suitable to get a visa.

Insurance market doesn't work like that I'm afraid.

[vetran]

Still won't stop the stripping and dumping of sick elderly relations on the NHS.

You can easily take out insurance that doesn't cover your illnesses and lie to officials. People with dementia often aren't good in admitting there is something wrong with them.

You can but if there is an expectation that they will be insured then there is an expectation they will be charged.
If when they try to charge the Insurance they refuse then they are in breach of their visa conditions.

The Insurance should cover all illnesses and if it doesn't then its not suitable to get a visa.

[shaunbhoy]

This sort of thing is currently in vogue amongst Americans.

More worryingly, they have dumped a demented coffin-dodger in the Whitehouse too!!

[SueEllen]

Alternatively you can just add it to the Visa Waiver and/or electronic Visa program. No XYZ standard travel insurance = no Visa. May cost a few million but it would mean we are covered against health tourism from those countries and we can profit from visitors who require treatment.

https://www.gov.uk/get-electronic-visa-waiver


If tourism numbers drop because people don't want to secure travel insurance, are you sure you want such tourists?

Still won't stop the stripping and dumping of sick elderly relations on the NHS.

You can easily take out insurance that doesn't cover your illnesses and lie to officials. People with dementia often aren't good in admitting there is something wrong with them.

[vetran]

US citizens don't need visas to come here. So it's step 1: Drop the visa free agreements and insist everyone who comes to the UK has to have a visa no matter where they come from. Hire hundreds of thousands more civil servants to implement it all. Step 2: Make health insurance checking part of the visa application process; hire hundreds of thousands more civil servants to deal with the backlog of visa applications caused by the extra checks. Step 3: wonder why tourist numbers in the UK have dropped dramatically.

But at least we won't have to fund a couple of months of healthcare for one bloke.

Alternatively you can just add it to the Visa Waiver and/or electronic Visa program. No XYZ standard travel insurance = no Visa. May cost a few million but it would mean we are covered against health tourism from those countries and we can profit from visitors who require treatment.

https://www.gov.uk/get-electronic-visa-waiver


If tourism numbers drop because people don't want to secure travel insurance, are you sure you want such tourists?

[VectraMan]

I would expect it to be part of the Visa Application. The Insurance would need to remain live throughout your stay otherwise your Visa becomes invalid.

So no change at passport control.

US citizens don't need visas to come here. So it's step 1: Drop the visa free agreements and insist everyone who comes to the UK has to have a visa no matter where they come from. Hire hundreds of thousands more civil servants to implement it all. Step 2: Make health insurance checking part of the visa application process; hire hundreds of thousands more civil servants to deal with the backlog of visa applications caused by the extra checks. Step 3: wonder why tourist numbers in the UK have dropped dramatically.

But at least we won't have to fund a couple of months of healthcare for one bloke.

[Mordac]

Can't see a down side - except longer queues at passport control. Are there any countries that mandate this already?

Make it the responsibility of airlines to check before boarding, as they already have to do with visas.

[LondonManc]

Perhaps we can have pictures of actual care homes in the UK, with their inspection ratings posted in airports. If they see how bad it is perhaps they will think twice.

Doubtful - free second grade >>>>> extortionate first grade.

Next door's children (both 40ish) live in Texas - neighbours are reluctant to emigrate due to the living costs associated with growing old in the US.

[woohoo]

It still won't stop people like that dumping their parent.

Perhaps we can have pictures of actual care homes in the UK, with their inspection ratings posted in airports. If they see how bad it is perhaps they will think twice.

[SueEllen]

Are you sure? How much would it cost to insure someone with dementia (and who'd insure them anyway?)

You are presuming they take out insurance that covers dementia. You can take out health insurance which excludes existing conditions. Immigration officers won't be checking that the vast majority of Americans and others from developed countries have valid insurance they will be concerned with those from developing countries who have a tendency to fake documents.