Back to UK for health treatment..

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

Not in fear but careful, once in the mesh it is difficult to get out. I have no intention of ever going back whatever at 73 I can see the end door ajar so if I am told I need an OP costing x amount of millions I'll just leave it and take the elegant way out ie, do nothing. 

Same for me, but I do want my 3.1% pension increase.

[brianthainess]

25 minutes ago, AseanLao said:

 

They check to see if you have a suspiciously permanent looking suntan first ...

 

 

That would be racist, getting a tan can happen by windburn while sailing with a friend init.

[soalbundy]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Same for me, but I do want my 3.1% pension increase.

ha ha yes who doesn't, luckily for me my main pension provider, Germany, pays the yearly increase no matter where I live. Incidentally the acquaintance I mentioned who got found out about his application for winter allowance had to pay back two years of pension increases and had to fight hard not to be fined as well

[brianthainess]

53 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Do you think they are clueless ?  You can have a bank account in England and get your pension paid there but how do you get your money, ATM here, Transferwise, etc. The tax office can and do have access to your bank account, they can see all payments made and where they are going, where do you apply for a new passport? if you don't fly back and get it done here they know, even if applying back in England they can still see all the visas in your old passport. If you have an address in England then you are liable for council tax. They have so many ways of getting to you if they want to. When I applied for my German pension, attached to the form from my German pension provider was all the payments I had made to the UK pension, the world is a village.

Sharing tax or bank info with the NHS is illegal in the UK.

[Tony125]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

And yet a Canadian can cross the US border with no identification.

Which appears at odds with your 'tracking' claim.

Hahaha, when was the last time you were in the US or Canada?  US citizen here, before 9-11 you could drive over the border either way with just a driving liscense. Now you need a passport or passport card to enter Canada or Mexico.

[roo860]

25 minutes ago, Harveyboy said:

what if he arrived by Dinghy...

 

[Knocker33]

17 hours ago, Oblomov said:

So you've paid ZERO in National Insurance for 30 years yet you want to fly over and get free treatment? And they say migrants are a drain on resources - they work (on low wages) and pay NI and taxes - get your treatment in Thailand where you live 

How do you know he has not paid any NI.? He could have paid in 30 years then moved to Thailand for all you know. Migrants have paid nothing..

[soalbundy]

Just now, brianthainess said:

Sharing tax or bank info with the NHS is illegal in the UK.

Well I wouldn't be that stupid, what would cause me alarm is the letter 'out of the blue', I had such a letter from the German tax authorities once, I hadn't done anything wrong, the rules had changed concerning taxation on pensions, I hadn't filled out a tax form in 4 years as I didn't know of the changes, it was an enormous amount of work including visiting the Thai tax office and writing emails to the German embassy and gathering info from 4 years back, eventually I got a letter back from the tax people saying I needn't pay tax and so needn't fill out any more forms, I still recall the fear when reading the surprise letter. So yes, I am careful.

[brianthainess]

I knew a friend who returned to the UK, he told all officials he had never left and had been living hand to mouth living in a camper van, picking fruit and veges for 15 yrs, he had a valid UK driving licence, and registered with a doctor you do not need proof of address or immigration status ID or an NHS number. Away from home or medical emergency is good enough. He also opened a bank account with a downloaded lease, DL, no utility bills as it was shared accommodation.

[brianthainess]

3 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Well I wouldn't be that stupid, what would cause me alarm is the letter 'out of the blue', I had such a letter from the German tax authorities once, I hadn't done anything wrong, the rules had changed concerning taxation on pensions, I hadn't filled out a tax form in 4 years as I didn't know of the changes, it was an enormous amount of work including visiting the Thai tax office and writing emails to the German embassy and gathering info from 4 years back, eventually I got a letter back from the tax people saying I needn't pay tax and so needn't fill out any more forms, I still recall the fear when reading the surprise letter. So yes, I am careful.

Germany is not the UK in case you hadn't noticed.

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, Knocker33 said:

How do you know he has not paid any NI.? He could have paid in 30 years then moved to Thailand for all you know. Migrants have paid nothing..

You don't need to work (or be in the UK to pay NI).

I just paid 5 years worth of NI as a cash lump sum.

[soalbundy]

Just now, brianthainess said:

Germany is not the UK in case you hadn't noticed.

Government officials are all the same the world over, a letter out of the blue can also come from the UK. It will be interesting to see whether we will get the NHS deductions from our meager British pensions even though we aren't entitled to receive free treatment, of course those who have cheated the system will no doubt have to pay to keep up the charade.

[Chivas]

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

 The tax office can and do have access to your bank account, they can see all payments made and where they are going,

Errr no they dont fella lol

They like all professional bodies can apply to a Judge to obtain access to an account should they consider the holder to be acting criminally

They certainly do not have routine access to a bank account as you imply

 

Notwithstanding how did the tax office somehow get involved in healthcare here lol

Edited November 22, 2021 by Chivas
spelling

[brianthainess]

5 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Notwithstanding how did the tax office somehow get involved in healthcare here lol

He answered the Germans letter and sent emails to them and also involved the Thais.

[sapson]

2 hours ago, sapson said:

  What are the usual obvious symptoms and standard diagnostic tests for TB in Thailand?

Maybe the OP has this information with his unfortunate Thailand TB experience.

[soalbundy]

Just now, Chivas said:

Errr no they dont fella lol

They like all professional bodies can apply to a Judge to obtain access to an account should they consider the holder to be acting crminally

They certainly do not have routine access to a bank account as you imply

 

Notwithstanding how did the tax office somehow get involved in healthcare here lol

I may be wrong but I believe this was a new development, at least it was so while we were in the EU. I don't know about the UK but I received a letter from the German tax people giving me a tax identity number on top of my normal tax number that I had which could be used by the tax authorities anywhere in the world to track earnings outside of the home country. A German man I know told me that he registered the birth of his daughter with a Thai woman in Thailand with the German embassy and he received a tax identity number for his new born daughter through the post.

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, AseanLao said:

 

You're probably better off doing some proper research than relying on the opinion of aseannow.com posters.

 

Here's what the UK Citizen's Advice Bureau has to say about "NHS charges for people from abroad":

 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/help-with-health-costs/nhs-charges-for-people-from-abroad/

 

Give them a call on 0800 144 8848, and speak to somebody who actually deals with these kind of issues every day.

 

 

Don't try that theory in Thailand........what goes on on the ground is often somewhat different to what is written in a book.

 

Some Aseannow.com posters may actually have some experience of dealing with those differences.

[Chivas]

8 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

I may be wrong but I believe this was a new development, at least it was so while we were in the EU. I don't know about the UK but I received a letter from the German tax people giving me a tax identity number on top of my normal tax number that I had which could be used by the tax authorities anywhere in the world to track earnings outside of the home country. A German man I know told me that he registered the birth of his daughter with a Thai woman in Thailand with the German embassy and he received a tax identity number for his new born daughter through the post.

That hole must be getting exceptionally deep...............????

[soalbundy]

Just now, brianthainess said:

He answered the Germans letter and sent emails to them and also involved the Thais.

Well I was told to or I would be taxed to the maximum amount, they wanted to know if I had a tax history in Thailand and when the Thai office refused (because I didn't have a tax number) I looked up any relevant tax disputes regarding this and found a decision made by a court in Frankfurt that the German embassy could issue a statement for the tax people that the tax office in that country wouldn't issue a statement and this was to be accepted so I wrote and asked the German embassy for such a statement and received it.

[soalbundy]

Just now, Chivas said:

That hole must be getting exceptionally deep...............????

Yes, it's quite frightening that you cant hide anywhere, so it's cash in the hand or nothing, that is until the cashless society evolves, must be a tax mans wet dream.

[Tbone999]

I had TB years back, involved a lot of pills over a 6month treatment plan if I can recall. You should have been given the all clear after a few weeks (all clear as not infectious anymore). If you're still taking them after 12months, then there's something wrong. Has your doctor been giving you x-rays etc? I would be getting a 2nd opinion if you're not recovering after this length of time. The medication you get in Thailand will be just as good as you get in the UK, you just need to see another doctor. For flying, you will have to get a cert from your doctor to say that you're not infectious anymore. It would be very irresponsible to travel if you're still infectious. I wouldn't waste time in trying to get into the UK, you won't be covered anyway as others have said, and if they found out you had just traveled and still infectious, then expect some issues. TB can be very bad if you leave it, I would be going to see a different doctor right away and not messing about on this forum. You might have the resistant strain of TB which is hard to treat and pretty dangerous. Hope you get better...

[bradiston]

1 minute ago, Tbone999 said:

I had TB years back, involved a lot of pills over a 6month treatment plan if I can recall. You should have been given the all clear after a few weeks (all clear as not infectious anymore). If you're still taking them after 12months, then there's something wrong. Has your doctor been giving you x-rays etc? I would be getting a 2nd opinion if you're not recovering after this length of time. The medication you get in Thailand will be just as good as you get in the UK, you just need to see another doctor. For flying, you will have to get a cert from your doctor to say that you're not infectious anymore. It would be very irresponsible to travel if you're still infectious. I wouldn't waste time in trying to get into the UK, you won't be covered anyway as others have said, and if they found out you had just traveled and still infectious, then expect some issues. TB can be very bad if you leave it, I would be going to see a different doctor right away and not messing about on this forum. You might have the resistant strain of TB which is hard to treat and pretty dangerous. Hope you get better...

The only post in this thread worth reading.

[AseanLao]

12 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Don't try that theory in Thailand........what goes on on the ground is often somewhat different to what is written in a book.

 

Some Aseannow.com posters may actually have some experience of dealing with those differences.

 

But my post had nothing to do with Thailand ... it concerned whether or not he would be entitled to free medical treatment if he returned to the UK.

 

I notice that zero posters in this thread have reported needing to pay for medical care on returning to the UK.

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, AseanLao said:

 

But my post had nothing to do with Thailand ... it concerned whether or not he would be entitled to free medical treatment if he returned to the UK.

 

I notice that zero posters in this thread have reported needing to pay for medical care on returning to the UK.

 

 

You missed my point about the possibility of forum advice being sound.

 

 

The answer is a simple "no" to the question about having to pay for medical care on returning to England.

[StevieAus]

17 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Wrong wrong wrong.

I think you are confusing the fact that the NHS will not refuse to treat anyone whatever their status however regarding payment is another issue depending on whether you meet the criteria for free treatment

I can tell you from personal experience at a large London hospital about three years ago my Thai wife who is also an Australian citizen and passport holder required treatment

This was given immediately and there was a suggestion she might need to be admitted for an operation

There is also a reciprocal agreement between the UK and Australia for free emergency treatment

A person appeared and we were told that if the treatment didn’t meet the definition of emergency treatment we would have to pay and forms were produced that we were asked to sign

It didn’t particularly matter as we have world wide medical and hospital cover

I suspect though that in many cases recovering payment after treatment is another issue.

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

I can tell you from personal experience at a large London hospital about three years ago my Thai wife who is also an Australian citizen and passport holder required treatment

That doesn't have much to do with a white Brit getting free treatment.

She was obviously a foreigner.

[ronster]

18 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

What a load of tosh. Fly into the UK, UK citizen or not, and go to your nearest hospital emergency department and you will be treated free of charge. Them's the rules.

Pretty sure that’s not the case and most hospitals require you to bring a passport or similar to prove you are a uk resident now as they had so many people returning from abroad just for free treatment.

I went to the uk last June for 10 months and it took me 3 weeks just to get registered at a local Gp surgery in the area I was in .

[hotandsticky]

3 minutes ago, ronster said:

Pretty sure that’s not the case and most hospitals require you to bring a passport or similar to prove you are a uk resident now as they had so many people returning from abroad just for free treatment.

I went to the uk last June for 10 months and it took me 3 weeks just to get registered at a local Gp surgery in the area I was in .

 

 

I am more than pretty sure that IS the case.

 

You will NOT be refused attention at A&E.

 

In hospitals I think that you are simply asked which passport you hold.

 

I made sure that I kept my registration on at my local surgery and that was the route I took last year for a hernia referral. I send my doctor, at his request,  postcards from Asia to brighten up his wall!

[Phulublub]

19 hours ago, Boyn said:

After working in the UK for 50 years and paying national insurance you would think i would be entitled to health care in the UK for the rest of my life but my doctor told me that if i move to Thailand i would not, NHS is a residence based service ie. you have to live here

Why? 

 

Your NI contributions paid for current expenditure, including provision of health care servics for everyone entitled to them, including you.  That you did not need to use them merely meant that those monies were used by those who did.  Just like pretty much any cmmercial Insurance in fact.

 

If front line health crae workers were more proactive and diligent in insisting on payment from those not entitled to free treatment there would be more money in the system for those who are entitled - like to 6 million on the waiting lists.  I can understand why moany are not, but that does not make it right for anyone to game the system.

 

PH

 

[Phulublub]

17 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Actually if he is no longer infectious (as determined by sputum test) it is OK. People typically become sputum negative well before they have completed the full course of treatment.

In which case, would emergency tratement be needed?

 

PH