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tonyhickey
Joined: 13/06/2007 Posts: 413
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 01:07 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 2 of 24 in Discussion |
| Just to stop any trouble like this, keep a postal address in the uk |
cyprusishome
Joined: 31/03/2007 Posts: 2381
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 08:35 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 3 of 24 in Discussion |
| People with chronic conditions do as Tony states, diabetics is one that I have personal knowledge of. Person keeps UK address to get their drugs and then have them brought over. This story is not a unique one, just highlighted by the pull on heartstrings. Those returning in droves from Spain etc are falling into the same trap. Sorry to say but another case of all the home work not being done, something we are all guilty of especially over health care. |
mark&beck
Joined: 08/01/2009 Posts: 303
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 08:42 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 4 of 24 in Discussion |
| You can still pay N.I. contribution as an expat,giving you access to all goverment run agencies,ie. health care,state pensions,free legal advise. |
sylvie
Joined: 12/03/2008 Posts: 1081
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 10:08 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 5 of 24 in Discussion |
| in france, even if you paid all your life, to get medca care you have to e resident fo 6 months in the year ! or be in a terrible financial situation, in that case they will care of you - the solution for them is to get a residential adress in france ! |
keithcaley
Joined: 13/06/2008 Posts: 2521
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 11:20 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 6 of 24 in Discussion |
| Message 4, I would be most gratefull if you could direct me to the source of your information, because as far as I was aware (up until now), entitlement to medical treatment on the NHS is entirely 'Residence Based'. That is, it doesn't matter what contibutions you have or have not made, if your normal place of residence is abroad, you are not entitled to free NHS treatment. This could offer an alternative avenue to treatment for many. Thanks in advance, Keith. |
tattlad
Joined: 13/12/2008 Posts: 479
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 11:39 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 7 of 24 in Discussion |
| if tha'ts the case then why can any foreigner go to britain and be treated free of charge ? |
Michelle
Joined: 27/09/2008 Posts: 7
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 11:43 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 8 of 24 in Discussion |
| Message 6, Here is a link with current guidelines: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/health/nhs_charges_for_people_from_abroad.htm Please note NI contributions are not taken into consideration it is dependent on UK residency within the last 12 months (max 3 months out of UK). I can confirm there is a clamp down on ex-pats returning for treatment and also at our hospital at Out-Patient appointments everyone is routinely asked: Have you been resident in UK for last 12 months? Hope this is helpful. Michelle |
keithcaley
Joined: 13/06/2008 Posts: 2521
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 11:46 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 9 of 24 in Discussion |
| Msg 7, My understanding is that anyone can receive emergency treatment, on humanitarian grounds. They will be asked to pay if they have the means, and are not otherwise entitled. Also, if they set up home in the UK, and become a resident (a whole different ball game, and don't get me started on this!) , then they automatically qualify - entitlement is not (as far as I am aware) contribution based, it is residency based. If anyone has any other information, please feel free to correct me! Keith. |
keithcaley
Joined: 13/06/2008 Posts: 2521
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 11:47 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 10 of 24 in Discussion |
| I'll have to type faster - Michelle got in before I did! Thanks Michelle. Keith. |
Michelle
Joined: 27/09/2008 Posts: 7
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 12:03 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 11 of 24 in Discussion |
| Message 3, Patients who fail to attend routine monitoring/review x 3 times, are having repeat prescriptions stopped and are now being removed from GP practice lists by some Health Authorities. This again is targeted at ex-pats. Michelle |
rsalih
Joined: 01/11/2008 Posts: 306
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 12:22 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 12 of 24 in Discussion |
| you can only get treatment if you are actually resident in uk. Thats why if expats go back to live in uk ,then they are entitiled |
the butler
Joined: 22/06/2007 Posts: 1958
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 12:52 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 13 of 24 in Discussion |
| Hi, I have personal experience of this, ten years ago when my husband and myself worked and lived in Italy, we both paid voluntary contributions to the UK to protect our pensions and what we stupidly thought health care. I had a very bad fall and hurt my hip. Despite going for Xrays and seeing a doctor I was told there was nothing seriously wrong. I was in excruciating pain for 8 months and eventually returned to the UK. I was sent for another Xray and the hip had been broken and healed itself but incorrectly. The only possibility for me was a hip replacement but because I had resided in Italy it cost me £9,000. A lesson learnt. If you reside out of the UK for more than 3 months you have to pay. We had retained a UK address whilst in Italy but I was just too honest. The Butlers wife |
briggus
Joined: 25/07/2007 Posts: 161
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 13:36 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 14 of 24 in Discussion |
| Indeed michelle and as "joined up government" initiatives take place with their IT systems transferring information it will become more difficult to get treatment if you have been absent from the UK for lengthy periods. |
dalartokat
Joined: 14/04/2008 Posts: 734
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 14:21 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 15 of 24 in Discussion |
| Briggus is right. Any person leaving the the UK for any length of time who returns to either claim benefits of any kind and Health Benefits are subject to what is called "Habitual Residency Test" and eventually it will all be linked up. The situation for Health care has been in force since 2004 but Doctors and nurses were not implementing Gocvernment legislation as they were either "too frightened" to do this or Doctors and GP's were of the opinion that they were there to give treatment and not make decisions on behalf of the Government. Hospitals are now employing Overseas Managers to ask the questions "Have you lived in this Country for the last 12 months and are you entitled to free NHS treatment??" UK nationals who have recently arrived from abroad must produce their full British passport showing they have a right of abode in the UK. Its all about access now to public funds and has nothing to do with the amount of NIC you have made in the last "x" amount of years. |
girne 29
Joined: 06/12/2007 Posts: 1488
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 14:29 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 16 of 24 in Discussion |
| Keithcaley You are right.Its purely down to residency. Definately, if you are living elsewhere for more than three months then you are off the NHS register, and are supposed to re register on coming back to stay in the UK. If you are staying in a EU country , you still carry NHS rights that allow you go onto their medical system. Its a question of whether the authorities know you no longer reside. "Joyce McDonald, 66, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, flew back to Britain after developing liver and heart problems so she could be treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. Health chiefs charged her hundreds of pounds, saying she was not automatically entitled to free care because she lived abroad. Addenbrooke's said bosses were following Government rules which say anyone who has lived outside the UK for more than a specified number of months is not automatically entitled to free care." |
dalartokat
Joined: 14/04/2008 Posts: 734
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 14:29 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 17 of 24 in Discussion |
| cont...from 15...People who choose to leave for NC should "in my opinion" now pay towards their cost of treatment in the Country they have chosen to live and support that country and his health system. People should before they go make sure they have access to Health care by way of a good insurance policy to enable them to stay otherwise they will find themselves in limbo regards healthcare. I do not believe that NC will continue to provide cheap and sometimes free healthcare expats in the future and who can blame them. Whether people like the UK or not and for whatever problems we are going through it is no longer acceptable for people to buck the system to provide themselves with free healthcare. You made your choice you should provide for it. |
No1Doyen
Joined: 04/07/2008 Posts: 16617
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 14:32 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 18 of 24 in Discussion |
| Dalartokat. Yes I have heard this too. My friend is a senior manager in the NHS and he is aware of a new initiative imposing stricter practices for the payment of any benefits to persons who do not reside for a certain period in the uk. |
girne 29
Joined: 06/12/2007 Posts: 1488
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 14:36 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 19 of 24 in Discussion |
| Message 17 I dont believe anyone is saying you should be entitled to free healthcare in NC or anywhere else. The point is ,should you be denied free nhs care on your return to UK. Using the Govt's logic ,you shouldnt get a state pension either, as that is also NI based. |
keithcaley
Joined: 13/06/2008 Posts: 2521
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 16:08 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 20 of 24 in Discussion |
| Msg 19, You said "Using the Govt's logic ,you shouldnt get a state pension either, as that is also NI based." The point is that entitlement to free NHS treatment is NOT (NI) contribution - based, it is Residency based, unlike pension entitlement. Regards, Keith. |
girne 29
Joined: 06/12/2007 Posts: 1488
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 16:53 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 21 of 24 in Discussion |
| message 20 thats my point ,it shouldnt be residency based,as just like pensions its paid for thro NI |
lovingcyprus
Joined: 02/03/2007 Posts: 1272
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 18:48 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 23 of 24 in Discussion |
| You must remember that National Health Insurance Contributions are another form of INCOME TAX as the corrupt Labour goverment have shown |
Menace
Joined: 22/11/2008 Posts: 93
Message Posted: 17/01/2009 19:19 | Join or Login to Reply | Message 24 of 24 in Discussion |
| The comment about getting health care if staying in a EU country is not strictly correct. As an EU citizen living in another EU country,you are only entitled to health care if you have reached retirement age or carry a european health card(the old e111).For retirement based care,you need to get the appropriate form sent from your country of origin and take this to the offices of the local health care system.For the european health card,you need to maintain some kind of address in your country of origin.The big problem is ,if you have been honest and told the authorities that you are living elsewhere in the EU,you are then not entitled to health care anywhere!The health card is well worth having as it can save a fortune on regular drugs etc for any long term illness.I have to take regular heart medicine and the card saves me €100 a month. |
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