Health Care & Repatriation

[Brookerbb]

My Husband, Jim & I are currently in good health & enjoying life in Calis. However we are in the process of organizing a Health Care package that includes repatriation/aeromedic services should we be unfortunate enough to need it in the future. Any-one any good advice on this topic please?

[tribalelder]

Rob a Bank....you will probably need to so you can pay the premiums:D

[Brookerbb]

quote:Originally posted by tribalelder

Rob a Bank....you will probably need to so you can pay the premiums:D

MMMMMMMMMMMnnnn Ok Thanks   - 'food for thought'

[kizkucuk]

Mmmmmm - how would they repatriate you?  In August you could have a bit of a wait if it's by charter flight - you need several seats if travelling on a stretcher or with a broken leg - air ambulances are very uncomfortable - plus no room for your nearest and dearest - usually patient and medical personnel only - plus usually have quite a short range - used to be a refuelling stop from Greece not sure about Turkey.If you have been out of the UK forover 3 months you won't be entitled to NHS treatment when you get back - think here are all sorts of things to consider.

[GordonA]

Kizcucuk, your last remark about not being entitled to N.H.S. treatment after 3 months absence from the U.K. is totally wrong   (personal experience). &, at the very least, alarming to anyone who is on the point of returning to the U.K.in order to seek such treatment.
Gordy.

[Eric]

Sorry Gordon, but by the letter of the 'regulations' you are wrong.

This is an extract from the Department of health regs on this;

Living in a non-bilateral healthcare agreement country? (Turkey is one)

If you choose to go and live permanently (or for more than 3 months each year) in a country with which the UK does not have a bilateral health agreement, then you will not normally be eligible for free NHS hospital treatment during a visit to the UK, no matter how long you may have lived here in the past. You may, however, be exempt from charges if you meet one of the other exemption criteria, for example because you are working abroad and have been doing so for less than 5 years.
Living in both the UK and another country?

If you spend more than 3 months living in another country on a regular basis each year, for example because you spend four months living in a second home during the winter but return to the UK for the rest of the year, then you may not be eligible for free hospital treatment while you live here. If the other country is one with which the UK has a bilateral health agreement then the partial exemptions described above will apply to you. If the other country is not one with which there is a bilateral health agreement, then you will not be entitled to free NHS hospital treatment during the time you live here, unless you meet one of the other exemption criteria.

If you are in receipt of an UK state retirement pension then a different part of the Regulations applies to you. Please see the separate page Are you a UK State Pensioner spending more than 3 months living outside the United Kingdom?

The full rules and regs can be found at;

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Entitlementsandcharges/OverseasVisitors/Browsable/DH_074386

[stoop]

Quite right Eric!

[loz]

I have answered this previously, so here we go again.

This is taken from a previous topic
{A Link to an old CBF topic was here - no longer available}35096&whichpage=6&SearchTerms=doctor

quote:
Let me quash this rumour; we arrived back in the UK 3rd April 2009, the following week I went to the local Doctors surgery and asked if there was a problem with us registering for medical treatment as we had been out of the country for nearly 6 years.

The reply was that there was not a problem at all, no extra cost, and we are British citizens and this is our entitlement no matter how long we had been out of the country, the records were recalled to the surgery and within that week Gordon had his appointment with the consultant and also had x-rays.
 
It was the same with the dentist, we were given a number and they found us a NHS dentist local enough to register with, advised any emergency appointments to go to the hospital, emergency was no cost.

I understand that some people have returned and been refused or asked for payment, I looked into this matter, it turns out that a minority of health authorities will try it on (why not many use it and have never lived or contributed in the UK) but one thing you can be sure of is in an emergency you will never be turned away, asked for payment or insurance first, or need to pay for an ambulance.

This is TRUE not a rumour.

[Ovacikpeedoff]

Eric is right in what he says. It seems at the discretion of your GP whether you have to wait the 3 months. You will only be registered if you are staying in the UK and you will be asked to produce proof of it. A utility bill is asked and another proof of identification. I have been through this recently.

You just cannot turn up at Gatwick and pop into the local hospital for your heart bypass operation.

[loz]

We were staying with friends, we did not have proof or utility bills.

I am starting to think that I went through this in my sleep and when I wake up I will still be in Turkey!

Someone pinch me please!!!!



I was very open when I went to the surgery, confirmed that we were out of the country for 6 years. we did not have a permanent UK address, we were not on the electoral role.  The hospitals and consultants seen that same week did not ask to see our passports, they did not ask us for money, did not ask us anything other than offer appointments and operations.

After all this, there was nothing stopping us from returning to Turkey if we had wished to do so.

But carry on listen to others that have not gone through it, listen to an Efes filled person propping up the bars.

cooled down,:D discussion with the doctor regarding the guidelines is loosely aimed at non nationals abusing the health service from their own countries, I can fully understand that official documents have to word info carefully.

I still stand by the ambulance senario,  in the UK YOU WILL BE TREATED AND NOT CHARGED IN AN EMERGENCY, in Turkey watch the hand come out or not allow you to leave hospital until you have paid.