Author Topic: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad  (Read 5159 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Kevin Sowten

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 806
  • Newly Registered
UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« on: July 29, 2014, 12:54:20 PM »
I read some time ago (can't think where ?) that the rules were being changed and that
provided that you have made enough NI contributions (30 years ?) you would be allowed
to use the UK NHS services free of charge despite living abroad.
Has this happened ? Is it proposed ? has it been quashed ?




Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2014, 13:03:32 PM »
There was a consultation paper published last year and they were looking at basing access to the NHS on your NI contributions, as opposed to the "residence based" access currently in operation.  The changes were forecast to be implemented in 2014, but haven't seen anything to suggest they have been.

The papers are here if you want to read through them:

Migrant access to the NHS

One of their goals is "considering how to exempt expatriates who have paid National Insurance from being charged when visiting the UK" but when I looked through the Outcomes document, it wasn't mentioned.

JF

Offline Kevin Sowten

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 806
  • Newly Registered
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2014, 13:53:54 PM »
Thanks for that John - I'll make some enquiries.

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2014, 14:29:26 PM »
Let us know how you get on - its the fact the EHIC (old E111) card becomes invalid after six months out of the country that I'm concerned about just now. 

JF

Offline tuzlachap

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 194
  • Age: 79
  • Location: Kernow (Cornwall)
  • AWAY TOO MUCH!!!!!
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2014, 15:38:01 PM »
In March this year my wife and I went back to the UK for a visit. Within a week I was taken down by illness which at first was diagnosed as pneumonia. It became worse and after being finally decided that I actually  had Avian Tuberculosis,a very  nasty though non-infectious cousin to  normal TB. I am still receiving treatment (14 pills daily plus 3 Amakaycin infusions via mid line every week.

It is this treatment which prevents me from returning to Fethiye  for another six months or more.

Anyway, the point to this that I am aged 69 and in receipt of a full UK Government pension. Shortly after my admittance to hospital (I spent the first 11 weeks in there), I was asked about my residency and openly admitted that it was in Turkey.Given that answer the hospital Admin Office people asked for proof of my pension.

My wife phoned the Pensions people and the very same day they faxed to the hospital that I was indeed in receipt of the pension. The Admin person returned and said that as I had a full pension, under the NHS rules, I would not be charged for any treatment.
Considering the amount of x-rays, scans and other treatments I have had, and still am receiving, I cannot imagine what the cost would have been.
If this had happened in Turkey, without SGK or private Insurance cover I dread even more to think of the cost!!

Anyway,that is my experience of an expat non EU resident and the NHS. Everybody's experience will differ.

It will be at least another 6 months before we can even think about coming back to our apartment in Tuzla, Fethiye  and everybody we know are sadly missed.

TC  :( :( :(

Offline Lotty

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2903
  • Location: United Kingdom
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2014, 16:00:43 PM »
How awful for you Tuzlachap! I hope you feel much better soon. The only thing to be thankful for is that It didn't happen before you left to come to Uk. You couldn't possibly have flown being so ill and as you say it would have cost a fortune without SGK etc. wishing you a speedy recovery and return to Tuzla.  :)

Offline hubblebubbles

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 921
  • Location: Turkey
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2014, 20:02:58 PM »
I thought that if you were retired before you moved to Turkey and therefore had paid your national Insurance contributions and were in receipt of a  government pension then you were automatically entitled to free treatment if you returned to UK. I was told this by a person working in the health sector but like Turkey rules change all the time so it would be interesting to find out for certain.

Offline Rimms

  • Whisky Fingered Lavvy Director
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4145
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2014, 20:59:20 PM »
I know that if I walk into a UK hospital and give a UK address, they will see to my needs. If I couldn't give a UK address then I believe that's a whole new ball game.
Even though I still pay tax on my pension and I've paid more than 40 years of NI contributions, my understanding is that spending a single trip of six months or more outside the UK excludes you from NHS entitlement. It's a laugh when you think about it

Offline lance

  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3622
  • Age: 78
  • Location: Turkey
Re: UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2014, 07:45:04 AM »
wear a turban rims soon get sorted.

Offline stoop

  • Cerial Killer
  • Global Moderator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17649
  • Age: 68
  • Location: York, North Yorkshire
UK healthcare for Brits living abroad
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2014, 08:25:57 AM »
Basically if you live abroad for more than 6 months a year then you will only get emergency treatment. Anything else will be chargeable.

That's a very basic summary and I'm sure there will be ways around it - unless they check your passport ;-)

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/healthcare_e/healthcare_help_with_health_costs_e/nhs_charges_for_people_from_abroad.htm


If you get a UK state retirement pension and live in the UK for at least 182 days a year (in Scotland and Wales, six months a year) and live in another European Economic Area (EEA) member state or Switzerland for the other part of the year. If you have registered as a resident of another EEA state or Switzerland, you may be entitled to free NHS hospital treatment if you fall ill during a trip back to the UK




Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf