Should Foreigners be made to pay for Health Care?

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  • Julie68Julie68 Posts: 3,137
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    Damned right they should. People pay contributions and taxes to pay for the NHS and people should not be able to come from abroad to abuse it for free treatment.
    If you are not from this country or paying into the system then you should pay for your treatment just like we have to when we go to other countries.
  • Madridista23Madridista23 Posts: 9,422
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    Damned right they should. People pay contributions and taxes to pay for the NHS and people should not be able to come from abroad to abuse it for free treatment.
    If you are not from this country or paying into the system then you should pay for your treatment just like we have to when we go to other countries.
    LOL... only here, in rip off Britain, they'll probably get fleeced more for their treatment here than they would in their own country!! :D :cool:
  • PinkPetuniaPinkPetunia Posts: 5,479
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    Damned right they should. People pay contributions and taxes to pay for the NHS and people should not be able to come from abroad to abuse it for free treatment.
    If you are not from this country or paying into the system then you should pay for your treatment just like we have to when we go to other countries.

    Actually if you are an EU citizen in any EU country you are entitled to free treatment on the National Health in any EU country
    The UK citizens are entitled to free care and treatment in Berlin or Barcelona and so are EU citizens in the UK All you need is a EU Health card .You should get one in for the incase
    I looked after many UK citizens in Ireland, children and babies who were treated for free and with great respect here in Ireland . Equally we are entitled to free care in the UK as its a reciprocal agreement .
  • mackaramackara Posts: 4,063
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    Damned right they should. People pay contributions and taxes to pay for the NHS and people should not be able to come from abroad to abuse it for free treatment.
    If you are not from this country or paying into the system then you should pay for your treatment just like we have to when we go to other countries.
    Good stuff, does that mean that U.K citizens who have never worked a day and who have paid nothing into the system in their life should get treatment because these are the people who run the NHS into the ground.
  • ffawkesffawkes Posts: 4,489
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    If you really want to look for people who are a drain on NHS resources, consider the drunks who get into fights then burden A&E having to get patched up - Its you and I paying for that, these idiots don't give a drunken toss.
  • Julie68Julie68 Posts: 3,137
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    mackara wrote: »
    Good stuff, does that mean that U.K citizens who have never worked a day and who have paid nothing into the system in their life should get treatment because these are the people who run the NHS into the ground.

    Not all of these people on benefits run the NHS into the ground at all, plus they are born here and are British. There is alot of snobbery towards people on benefits these days..
    The NHS is on its knees and people from abroad should not be allowed free treatment. If they need treatment then they should pay for it..
  • Julie68Julie68 Posts: 3,137
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    ffawkes wrote: »
    If you really want to look for people who are a drain on NHS resources, consider the drunks who get into fights then burden A&E having to get patched up - Its you and I paying for that, these idiots don't give a drunken toss.

    They do pay good money for their alcohol and pay tax through that.
    I am not saying it's right that people get drunk and into such disgusting states but at least they don't come here for free NHS treatment having paid nothing for the privaledge..
  • mashamoto79mashamoto79 Posts: 2,884
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  • PinkPetuniaPinkPetunia Posts: 5,479
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    Not all of these people on benefits run the NHS into the ground at all, plus they are born here and are British. There is alot of snobbery towards people on benefits these days..
    The NHS is on its knees and people from abroad should not be allowed free treatment. If they need treatment then they should pay for it..

    I shall repeat myself so you get the point

    Actually if you are an EU citizen in any EU country you are entitled to free treatment on the National Health in any EU country .
    The UK citizens are entitled to free care and treatment in Berlin or Barcelona and so are EU citizens in the UK All you need is a EU Health card .You should get one in for the incase
    I looked after many UK citizens in Ireland, children and babies who were treated for free and with great respect here in Ireland . Equally we are entitled to free care in the UK as its a reciprocal agreement .
    All EU citizen are from abroad as you so put it .
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    Health tourism was stamped out ages ago, they have to pay now.
  • Julie68Julie68 Posts: 3,137
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    I shall repeat myself so you get the point

    Actually if you are an EU citizen in any EU country you are entitled to free treatment on the National Health in any EU country .
    The UK citizens are entitled to free care and treatment in Berlin or Barcelona and so are EU citizens in the UK All you need is a EU Health card .You should get one in for the incase
    I looked after many UK citizens in Ireland, children and babies who were treated for free and with great respect here in Ireland . Equally we are entitled to free care in the UK as its a reciprocal agreement .
    All EU citizen are from abroad as you so put it .

    I took my children for a holiday in the Algarve, some years ago. My son tripped and cut his leg quite nastily and, despite having one of those cards, I had to pay for his treatment. We had to go to get his dressing changed everyday and it cost me everytime.
    The card was useless..
  • Cellar_DoorCellar_Door Posts: 2,275
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    Oh my giddy aunt, really? So this 'Pakistani man' just happened to tell a complete stranger he has never paid tax or worked in the UK. I don't believe a word of it.
  • mashamoto79mashamoto79 Posts: 2,884
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    UKMikey wrote: »
    Is that like one of these?

    No, it is a health card which you show every time you need medical services. It's free.

    You have to be resident 153 days in any 12-month period.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,954
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    Not all of these people on benefits run the NHS into the ground at all, plus they are born here and are British. There is alot of snobbery towards people on benefits these days..
    The NHS is on its knees and people from abroad should not be allowed free treatment. If they need treatment then they should pay for it..

    But they are not though.

    And I have never payed any NI payments being student should I not be treated if I get ill.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 22,736
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    You can receive free NHS hospital treatment if you:-

    •have been living legally in the UK for at least 12 months when you start treatment, and did not come to the UK for private medical treatment. Temporary absences from the UK of up to three months (in England, up to 182 days) are ignored

    •have come to the UK to take up permanent residence, for example, if you are a former UK resident who has returned from abroad, or if you have been granted leave to enter or remain as a spouse

    •have come to the UK to work, either as an employee or self-employed person. In England and Wales, if you are employed, your employer's main place of business must be in the UK or be registered in the UK. This could be, for example, a branch of an overseas company. If you are self-employed your main place of business must be in the UK

    •normally work in the UK, but are temporarily working abroad for less than five years. You also need to have lived in the UK continuously for at least ten years before going overseas.

    •In Scotland, you normally work in the UK but are temporarily working abroad. You must have lived in the UK continuously for at least ten years and taken home leave in the UK at least once every two years. However, if you are studying abroad you may not be entitled to free NHS treatment

    •are receiving a UK war pension

    •have been granted, or made an application for temporary protection, asylum or humanitarian protection

    •in Wales, have applied for asylum

    •in England, are an failed asylum seeker in certain
    circumstances, or in Scotland and Wales, are a failed asylum seeker

    •in England, are a child the local authority has taken into care

    •have been identified as having been trafficked from abroad or are believed to have been trafficked from abroad

    •are imprisoned in the UK or detained by UK immigration authorities

    •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

    •are from a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland and have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC does not cover coming to the UK just to get medical treatment but it allows you to get free care if you're referred to the UK for pre-planned treatment with an E112 or S2 certificate

    •are a student following a course of study which lasts at least six months, or a course that is substantially funded by the UK, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Ireland Governments

    Source:http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/healthcare_e/healthcare_help_with_health_costs_e/nhs_charges_for_people_from_abroad.htm
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    mackara wrote: »
    Good stuff, does that mean that U.K citizens who have never worked a day and who have paid nothing into the system in their life should get treatment because these are the people who run the NHS into the ground.

    Are they VAT exempt then?
  • ViridianaViridiana Posts: 8,017
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    I took my children for a holiday in the Algarve, some years ago. My son tripped and cut his leg quite nastily and, despite having one of those cards, I had to pay for his treatment. We had to go to get his dressing changed everyday and it cost me everytime.
    The card was useless..

    You did not pay because you were a foreigner. You paid exactly what the portuguese pay. That's the EU rules.
    And i know because i lived there, services are not totally free in Portugal. There is a charge in some services.
    If we paid something in here, the EU citizens will also pay.
  • Cellar_DoorCellar_Door Posts: 2,275
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    They do pay good money for their alcohol and pay tax through that.
    I am not saying it's right that people get drunk and into such disgusting states but at least they don't come here for free NHS treatment having paid nothing for the privaledge..

    No this isn't true, all the drunken idiots I know laugh about buying black market alcohol, then get into fights on purpose. They then go on to tell total strangers in A&E that they've not paid tax on their drink and never worked in their lives.

    This of course isn't true, I'm just taking the OPs lead.
  • PinkPetuniaPinkPetunia Posts: 5,479
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    I took my children for a holiday in the Algarve, some years ago. My son tripped and cut his leg quite nastily and, despite having one of those cards, I had to pay for his treatment. We had to go to get his dressing changed everyday and it cost me everytime.
    The card was useless..

    Funnily enough I needed treatment in the Algarve and it was free with an EU card .I used the local hospital and it was wonderful .If you go privately it costs if you use the National Health in the country its free .You get the same treatment and the same rights as that countrys citizens nothing more nothing less .
    Go to your MP and complain of you feel you had to pay for National health in Portugal .You will nedd to know the hospital and have receipts and you were not obliged to pay if it was on the Portuguese National Health .

    Have a read

    http://www.ehic.ie/
  • TrollHunterTrollHunter Posts: 12,496
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    You'd think that if you went to the trouble of making a new thread about a i]mythical[/i Pakistani chap, you'd at least pop back in at some stage to respond to some of the comments.
    Unless you've only made the thread to try and wind a few people up....ooh, there's a thought.
  • LostFoolLostFool Posts: 90,623
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    I took my children for a holiday in the Algarve, some years ago. My son tripped and cut his leg quite nastily and, despite having one of those cards, I had to pay for his treatment. We had to go to get his dressing changed everyday and it cost me everytime.
    The card was useless..

    The EHIC only covers you for State healthcare in each country to the same level that locals are entitled to. The problem is that in many holiday resorts the only doctors and clinics are privately run. They are there because they can make lots of money treating drunken tourists.

    In cases where your EHIC card is not valid you can claim on travel insurance. One does not replace the other.
  • mackaramackara Posts: 4,063
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    Julie68 wrote: »
    Not all of these people on benefits run the NHS into the ground at all, plus they are born here and are British. There is alot of snobbery towards people on benefits these days..
    The NHS is on its knees and people from abroad should not be allowed free treatment. If they need treatment then they should pay for it..
    People who pay should get the treatment, those who make a living from signing on every week should not, people from abroad have to pay as they have no option unlike the millions of career unemployed in the U.K who have paid nothing into the system but expect a freebee just because they were born here. The NHS does not run on thin air so I welcome paying foreign patients who in turn fund the service unlike some who think its their god given right to free health care paid by others.
  • UKMikeyUKMikey Posts: 28,728
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    No this isn't true, all the drunken idiots I know laugh about buying black market alcohol, then get into fights on purpose. They then go on to tell total strangers in A&E that they've not paid tax on their drink and never worked in their lives.

    This of course isn't true, I'm just taking the OPs lead.
    Ow! I just injured myself laughing at your post. Time to go claim some of that free healthcare. Bet the doc is a bloody foreigner though.
  • John146John146 Posts: 12,926
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    Are you sure about that . The NHS will check if you have a NI number or as an EU citizen a EU heath card .I know this as my daughter needed to see a GP in UK and is not a UK citizen .She was being charged £100 untill she produced her EU Health card .Its not as simple as walking in and being treated.The EU have a reciprocal agreement in all EU countries whaich a completly different matter .

    Surely they would check to see if the patient has a National Health number?
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