“Health Insurance” Requirement for UK Visiting Tourist
Visitors to the UK could be required to hold health insurance before they can enter the country, the government says. The move is an attempt to crack down on “health tourists” who come for treatment but fail to pay for it. In a separate immigration review, the UK could also refuse entry to foreigners owing money for health care. Ministers said this would stop people from overseas taking advantage , but the Tories said Labour had allowed the problem to develop in the first place . the NHS in England is paid more than £25m a year by overseas visitors, but writes off another £5m in unpaid bills. Department of Health figures show that 50%of outstanding bills are not paid within a year of treatment and about 5% of overseas patients had three or more unpaid invoices . one Healt’s proposals are approved NHS bosses would provide a list of migrants with treatment debts to immigration officials from later this year. They would then be turned away by the UK Border Agency if they try to re-enter the country without settling their debt. The department said that while the unpaid depts, were small in relation to overall NHS spending, it was “important that we maximise recovery, not least to discourage deliberate abuse by a small minority of visitors”. The proposals would not cover visitors from the European Economic Area and other countries with whom the UK has reciprocal health agreements. Ministers have also revealed plans to give free healthcare- at a cost of £9m a year- to thousands of failed asylum seekers if there are “recognised barriers” to them returning home. But free care will not be given to refugees who refuse to leave after their claims are rejected.
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