Upfront charges for NHS foreign patients in England

[GastonJ]

NHS hospitals in England will have a legal duty to charge overseas patients upfront for non-urgent care if they are not eligible for free treatment.
From April this year, foreign patients could be refused operations unless they cover their costs in advance.
NHS Improvement, which oversees the trusts, said hospitals would no longer have to chase money they are owed.
Emergency treatment will continue to be provided and invoiced later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38876527

and post that really crap announcement, you need to read carefully through it all.

Details of treatment given to visitors from EEA countries should be forwarded to the Department of Health so the costs can be recouped from their governments.

That will mean the DOH will have to employ a team of staff to recover the money. They'll likely award a contract to a private company like Serco, or similar, who will charge more than they recover.

The health secretary said the aim was to recover up to ?500m a year by the middle of this Parliament to reinvest in the NHS.

But that so called ?500 million has already been spent by the NHS trateing patients, so he's going to invest back into the NHS money that the NHS is owed anyway, but only if the DOH can recover it. How can that be called investment, giving money back that is already theirs?

A Nigerian woman owes ?330,000 after giving birth prematurely to quadruplets in a west London hospital. Her bill is thought to be among the largest unpaid by an overseas patient - but she has no ability to pay it. Priscilla would still have received urgent treatment under the new arrangements because her life and those of her babies - two of whom died - were at risk.

So why highlight something whereby no payment would have been made anyway? Good example eh.

Dr Meirion Thomas, a former cancer surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital, told Radio 4's Today programme that the plan was a "smokescreen".

and that surgeon isn't wrong. Government just wanting to make glib unplanned and unworkable headlines about how they're looking after the NHS.

[Meat-Head]

Hang on, you go to Emerica and end up hospital, nothing untill know who is paying.

would say if an import has been damaged and not their fault, just basic repairs untill they
go home as you get off firgieners "in my country that job on my car would be cheaper"

[super jumbe]

Ah makes sense, will they return the money if died in operation ‘theatre’ just a thought!!!

[GastonJ]

News for you SJ, if a UK patient dies in an NHS Trust, the trust doesn't get paid for it either.

[GastonJ]

Hang on, you go to Emerica and end up hospital, nothing untill know who is paying.

would say if an import has been damaged and not their fault, just basic repairs untill they
go home as you get off firgieners "in my country that job on my car would be cheaper"

In the US they will treat you for critical injuries in most cases without asking for money, however I've always had insurance when I'm abroad anyway. If you can't afford the insurance then you shouldn't be going anyway. You have to take responsibility for yourself, because no-one else will. IN teh US they don't have an NHS or have to pay the stealth tax called NI, which we pay by default, they instead take out insurance.

[Meat-Head]

News for you SJ, if a UK patient dies in an NHS Trust, the trust doesn't get paid for it either.

Oh, didnt get that information, no wounder nhs got no money.
would have thiught at least charge parts and 2 hours labor if nothing else

[ifred]

If they don't pay should strip them down for parts and sell those on ebay
Meaty needs a new brain, gas pockets for his $ and SJ needs new undercarriage to start with

[GastonJ]

Well, if you think about it, that would be why there are less A&E's about as well. Who wants to stay open to treat patients who may die and you don't get paid eh.

[GastonJ]

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has conceded the NHS in England is facing "completely unacceptable" problems.
He said there was "no excuse" for some of the difficulties highlighted during the BBC's NHS week and the government had a plan to help hospitals cope.
A series of reports has revealed lengthening waits in A&E and patients being left for hours on trolleys.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38926697

Being the longest serving Health Secretary then it is his responsibility. Now would be a good time for him to resign having presided over the ever worsening state of the NHS. Though I do think he'll laye the blame on the NHS and start privatising parts of it instead.

[ifred]

Maybe he should roll up his sleeve and work day and night with the mop and slop bucket until he's cleaned up the mess he's been responsible for all those years.
Wait for it I know its not his fault but lessons have been learnt and its been unprecedented weather