Can they have it both ways - BMA

They might vote for it, but let's face it, it isn't them that make the financial decisions as far as how a hospital / GP surgery is run!
This "health tourist" thing has been going on for a long time - certainly since the 1970s, to my knowledge, but it is really only since the budgets have been squeezed that it seems to have come to light!
Quite a few hospitals in the UK already have staff in place to make sure that overseas patients are billed for payment of treatment after the allowed emergency treatment.

Oh please tell me this is a joke! I read last month about the cost to the NHS of 'health tourism'. If an announcement of 'come one come all' and get open heart surgery, cataracts. children delivered and new hips - we who have made lifelong contributions will be queuing around the block for years to get help. Why is it that insurance companies cannot and will not pay without up to date contributions and yet this struggling NHS is now free to all? This is absolutely insane, and inviting world wide abuse. Who would blame anyone with cancer, or any serious condition, from coming here to get free help? I would be on a plane like a shot, but how can this be sustained?

When abroad we have to pay. Even in EU countries you are usually referred by hotel reception to a private doctor or clinic whether you have health card or not.

We are a pushover as most of health service staff don't want to deal with the question. If only they thought about how much it is costing the NHS and affecting their jobs and resources but they don't seem to get it. No one tells them. BMA are mostly foreign doctors now anyway so there is no way they are going to support it. Although I did read that those who tried to speak out against the motion were shouted down. So they are obviously the lefties proposing this. NHS collapses and Conservatives will get the blame it is a not so quiet way of allowing them to complain re lack of resources.

SueDonim
I found the fact your U.S resident British born son had to pay for a British GP consultation strange . Saying that was it not a prescription which like your son many British residents have to pay for and not the consultation .?
I have knowledge of a British BORN person who has lived and worked in the U.S for over twenty years and although having taken 'the oath' being British born have both a British and a US passport which is a small price to pay for the advantages this has.

So much of it is down to individual GPs and even how they are feeling on the day! Sounds as if the admin people are tightening up especially in hospitals.

When DD2 fell into a small but empty pool on holiday we were charged about £30 by the doctor who checked her over. Not long after we found she needed specs! She was also prescribed antibiotics for oral thrush in Portugal but a Scottish dentist told us what we really needed and gave us a note for the pharmacist.

The rules for the EU used to be that you paid whatever the country’s citizen paid.

Yes I too worry about the cost of collecting the money. Isn't it like parking tickets on foreign cars? You know there's no redress if they choose not to pay.

You have to wait months, if not years, for some of these procedures, and be referred by a GP. A tourist can't get a major op just like that (clicks fingers).

'I found the fact your U.S resident British born son had to pay for a British GP consultation strange . Saying that was it not a prescription which like your son many British residents have to pay for and not the consultation .? '

Expats in the EU currently do not have to pay. But those out of the EU, like the USA - do have to. irrespective of where you were born. Why is it strange to pay for a doctor's time and expertise??? There are btw, many services GPs can charge for, even to UK citizens, like reports for Insurance, or jabs for foreign travel, signing official documents, etc, etc.

Cambia- hope you are OK. What's up?

So many people on here really to do conform to the Stereotype of the older you get the more right wing you get. Doctors aren’t going to let anyone suffer. Thank goodness. God there are a lot of self important indignant folk on here. Leavers by any chance. Wanting a little insular England!!! Despair!

The UK is too soft on immigrants. Non UK citizens should pay for their own medical care up front or have medical insurance. Non UK University students should take a loan from their own country not UK as they skip off and do not pay back loan to UK government. Universities should not give out graduation certificate if students leave university owing for library books or accommodation.

I am severely allergic to mushrooms in the same way some people are to peanuts. When in France I had an allergic reaction in a restaurant and had to have emergency care or I could have died. I had to pay upfront to get that adrenaline injection.

Think the issue is that the medical staff, Drs, do not believe that they should be policing the payments. The government should set up some scheme whereas anyone visiting should have proof of insurance.

Mareeiliz Very true.
I wonder on viewing the comments made by those who claim the UK' should' give out free NHS to the poorer countries and whose residents do travel to the UK in the knowledge 'they will not be turned away' if ill and will get treatment for free'
Do they or cannot they see the 'wood through the trees' and should be concerned that they themselves many no doubt having as UK residents paid into the NHS not see that they or their own families may be pushed further' back of the queue' for their own treatment.
The NHS does not have a 'bottomless pot' and would those that work for a living and there are many who just about scrape through want to see 'contributions' increase in the name of 'charity'.

The fact is our NHS belongs to the UK people not the doctors and not those who are not UK citizens. If they want to access it they should pay upfront or have travel insurance.

Recently, there was a BBC programme on immigration -Who Should get to Stay ? One of the people featured was a Bangladeshi who has been here illegally for five years. He suffers from Crohn’s disease and claimed he would die if sent home as they do not have the facilities to treat him. His application to stay was accepted and he was shown in hospital having an infusion of his life-saving medicine. Until recently, I have been having the EXACT infusion he had to treat a chronic condition, but it has been taken away from me as there is a world wide shortage of it and it is very expensive. How should I feel ? Am I being self important and indignant coco ?

It may help the discussion if everyone had some facts at hand: fullfact.org/health/health-tourists-how-much-do-they-cost-and-who-pays/

* Non UK University students should take a loan from their own country not UK as they skip off and do not pay back loan to UK governmen*
Student grants and loans are are only available for students from outside the EU if they have lived here for three years or more. EU students can apply for grans & loans immediately.
Now, newnanny , before you start ranting again, why do you think international students come here to study? It's because we (currently) have the best universities, and also lots of companies eager to employ graduates. So the likelhood is that these people, once graduated, will be employed and paying taxes here, as well as paying back their student loans.

Surely its not Drs who charge those with no entitlement, it's the Health Authority. Try getting medical care in USA, before anyone sees you tge admin are asking for health care details, not interested in health insurance company only credit card details. They see it as your responsibility to claim costs from insurance company, you have to pay. If long treatment they will contact insurance company for you to make them aware but that's it. We shoukd adopt a bit of their style.

It's simple economics, health tourists haven't paid into the NHS as we have, so they should not be able to use it. Try getting healthcare in most other countries without the wherewithal to pay. Doesn't happen.

123Coco, I don't usually get involved in spats on here, but really how very dare you, what an uninformed stereotypical comment you have made. So people get more right wing as they get older and old people are 'Leavers'. Nonsense.

Newnanny are you confusing immigrants with visitors/tourists? Non EU migrants as part of their visa application have to pay an immigration health surcharge to access the NHS. This is £400 each per year of visa for applicant and family members.

health tourists haven't paid into the NHS as we have, so they should not be able to use it
What puzzles me, though NanaSuzy (if I have understood this correctly) is that UK citizens living in some other countries have to pay tax on any pensions that come from this country (is that right?) but are not supposed to avail themselves of our NHS, which they are helping to pay for.
It doesn't seem fair.

Perhaps someone will correct me if I've got this wrong.

I should clarify - they have to pay UK tax on their pensions - apparently.

vickymeldrew I saw that too and I am astonished to hear that this treatment has been taken away from you.
Apparently the treatment is not available in his home country of Bangladesh so he has been treated here. The doctor treating him said that it is not up to her to make the judgement; she is presented with a sick patient and treats them.