Medicare during first 6 months of arriving ?

[Chrisirene]

Hi there folks !

I've read n searched my way round the forum, and thought it might be useful to ask about this.

If/when the lovely Irene is able to get her ass over to the UK, does she have any access to our health/dental service ?

Or do we need to arrange private insurance for her.

If so, at what point would she become eligible for the delights of our efficient - superbug free - best value NHS ?

CHRIS

[KeithD]

She just registers with a GP, and that's it.....she can have open heart surgery to get her monies worth just for the sake of it

[andypaul]

admin is right to say medical care is freely avaiable if here on a spouse visa.
But from what i have read elsewhere on a fiance visa or vistor visa its a little bit more hazey. I have seen people recomended purchasing travel insurance from the visa holders home country just to be on the safe side.

Hospitals are said to be getting tougher on health tourists, and those not deemed eliglbe in the eyes of the law.

If you can afford it i would defintely consider investigating travcel insurance for the six months just in case.

The example iwas given was you would most likely get emgency treatment but if aftercare was needed ie a bed and medical treatment you are likely to get charged if they realise they can.

others have got away with it but i would check locally to find your local health authorites policy regarding the matter.

[Chrisirene]

Thanks guys !

I'm getting a conflicting response here though - do we know whether she ( being the precious little Irene ! ) is entitled to medical treatment in law, as my intended spouse - (god knows - I pay enuf tax n NI !) and if so, where could I find the appropriate legislation.
Oh - sorry if I appear kinda heavy about this, but I dont want to leave us belly up, if we have any problems.....
(She is the picture of health and vitality btw !!)

Happy Christmas to you all. And thank you all for being so helpful n friendly to Irene.

[KeithD]

Basically.....if you are invited into the country by the goverment.....regardless of visa....you are entitled to free treatment under the Human Rights law.

[IainBusby]

Basically.....if you are invited into the country by the goverment.....regardless of visa....you are entitled to free treatment under the Human Rights law.

Dental treatment might be another matter, in theory it should be subsided by the NHS, but just try finding an NHS dentist these days !!!

[KeithD]

I tend to put dental under cosmetic....not health.

[andypaul]

Dental treatment might be another matter, in theory it should be subsided by the NHS, but just try finding an NHS dentist these days !!!

It would be cheaper to fly back to phil than some dental charges sadly it seems in the UK

[andypaul]

Thanks guys !

I'm getting a conflicting response here though - do we know whether she ( being the precious little Irene ! ) is entitled to medical treatment in law, as my intended spouse - (god knows - I pay enuf tax n NI !) and if so, where could I find the appropriate legislation.
Oh - sorry if I appear kinda heavy about this, but I dont want to leave us belly up, if we have any problems.....
(She is the picture of health and vitality btw !!)

Happy Christmas to you all. And thank you all for being so helpful n friendly to Irene.

If Admin who takes a greater intrest and more contacts says it should be free i go along with that.

But it might be worth asking your local health authority (im not sure who you would ask though) just to be on the safe side.

I have done some reading on a few sites who advise people on imgration matters and a guy who i respect highly has noted if you are on a spouse visa which from what i gather includes a finace visa ( please correct me if im wrong folks) are entitled to full NHS care from the mintue they have a stamp in the airport.
But if on a vistors visa they are basically tourists and would need travel insurance and could possibly charged for any treatment other the intial emgency treatment ( and possibly even that).

So basically from what i have read tonight

Finace and spouse visa no particular need for health insurance treated the same as a uk resident.

Vistor visa Health Insurance make sure your insured unless your bill gates

I hope this info is of use, sorry was not to sure about finace visa as my Wife came over on spouse visa.

Lets hope all this chat says hypothetical and not required and May i wish Irene and You a Happy Christmas

[KeithD]

a vistors visa they are basically tourists and would need travel insurance and could possibly charged for any treatment

That is the rule, but they are never charged as no admin department is set up to handle it, it's much less hassle and cost effective to just treat them.

When was the last time you went into a hospital they asked for your medical number and ID before they treated you? They can't even be making patients a cup of tea, cleaning the wards, or being polite.....

[Chrisirene]

And god help you if u use any of those 4 swear words - methicillin - resistant - staphylococcus or aureus !!!!

Thanks for 'un-muddying the waters' a bit on that folks, now I guess we have to wait for the visa job.......!

A very merry Christmas to you and yours.

Chris

[KeithD]

FREE MRSA for everyone on the NH

[andypaul]

That is the rule, but they are never charged as no admin department is set up to handle it, it's much less hassle and cost effective to just treat them.

When was the last time you went into a hospital they asked for your medical number and ID before they treated you? They can't even be making patients a cup of tea, cleaning the wards, or being polite.....

Just a quick update on this subject.

I was in st thomas hospital (opposite the houses of parliment) today on business and as i walked past the pharmacy in the lambeth wing.

I saw that they had a sign up saying A and E care is free but you could be charged for any other care. Please contact the overseas unit (or something like that) for more details.

So im sure most local town hospital does not have such a unit but at least one in london does and anyone on a tourist visa should be aware.
Its not a subject people like to dwell on but if you are on a tourist visa and get knocked down it could be very expensive.

[baboyako]

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandgui...nts/DH_4114807

Its only the a&e that is free. I think the big problems are people coming from africa for aids drugs, or with TB etc.

If you get run over its fine its the long term illnesses (i.e. expensive drugs) that are not.

I would suspect that if you find out you have cancer or something you wont get treatment until you are are at least married.

either way travel insurance WILL NOT HELP. so you are just

[andypaul]

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandgui...nts/DH_4114807

Its only the a&e that is free. I think the big problems are people coming from africa for aids drugs, or with TB etc.

If you get run over its fine its the long term illnesses (i.e. expensive drugs) that are not.

I would suspect that if you find out you have cancer or something you wont get treatment until you are are at least married.

either way travel insurance WILL NOT HELP. so you are just

Im writing mainly about people on tourist visas which it seems many members are applying and getting at present. I only mention as i think a lot of brits forget about how much healthcare might cost if we had to pay for it.
When my wife was in a A and E observation ward last thursday they had to use several differnt special drugs, a slaine solution drip and gave her a free presrption for 10 days worth of tablets. Plus a bed for a day and part of a night which my wife was worrying how we would pay for i laughed and said we back in the UK now. In theory a vistor would not pay for that but the example shows how costs would bulid up quickly, things which we brits take for granted.

If your here for six months and you get run over you may need after care im sure they will fix you up, but if you need a bed/aftercare for a few weeks i bet the suits would soon turn up. That or you would need to go private or return home wasting the visa.

Normal UK travel insurance would be no good as the person would not be a uk resident, they would need one from their home country or one bought in the uk for non residents which im sure would cost far more. These would pay out like our travel insurance would if we were abroad.

[KeithD]

If it wasn't for the NHS my treatment would be £1000's every year just for my medication........and if you live in Wales it's FREE .....not that I paid anyway ......and that's all without GP & Consultant charges, hospital stays, a 5 figure sum for my jaw replacement....etc...etc...Over the last 20 years it would have cost me over £150,000 without the NHS.

[scotsfiancee]

And what about the Dental service? I have alot of teeth to work out