1 minute ago, vinny41 said:

From 8 April 2015, we will collect information on passengers leaving the UK as we do for those entering.

 In 1998 embarkation checks were scrapped entirely.

Since 2004 the UK has moved to a more sophisticated approach to checks by starting to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for both inbound and outbound air passengers. API includes the passenger’s full name, nationality, date of birth, gender and travel document number, type and country of issue.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exit-checks-on-passengers-leaving-the-uk/exit-checks-fact-sheet#:

Government already knows date people have left the uk and the date that they re-enter

So easy for NHS to find out how long a person has been out of the UK

UK hospitals can not refuse treatment to anyone it's called 'Duty of Care'

5 hours ago, Alpha84 said:

73 years old and was still teaching English in Thailand to try and cover living expenses. Doesn't sound like the guy was very prepared for any eventualities at all. One has to wonder why he didn't go back and live with family in the UK 10 years ago given his financial situation. Had he been there at least there would have been some form of safety net. Now it looks like a very slippery slope. 

The article didn't say he was teaching to try and cover expenses.  It didn't mention he financial situation at all.  Many people continue working late in life simply because they want to stay active and love what they do.

5 hours ago, jfeigel said:

...same 'ole story..."uninsured"... 

 

"Stupid is as stupid does..."... - Forrest Gump

A large number of people living in Thailand are uninsured because they are not able to obtain insurance.  

9 minutes ago, brian69 said:

UK hospitals can not refuse treatment to anyone it's called 'Duty of Care'

Treatment must be paid for upfront unless doing so would delay urgent or immediately necessary care (as determined by a clinician). Urgent or immediately necessary care must never be withheld or delayed, even if the patient is unable or unwilling to pay, although they remain liable for the charges where they are not otherwise exempt. In this context, whether treatment is ‘urgent’ is directly dependent on how long a person is expected to remain in the UK, meaning that elective care can sometimes be considered urgent. We explore what this means in practice in section 4.

if charges do apply, relevant bodies must make and recover 150% of the cost of treatment from the liable overseas visitor

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

 

13 minutes ago, CM Dad said:

The article didn't say he was teaching to try and cover expenses.  It didn't mention he financial situation at all.  Many people continue working late in life simply because they want to stay active and love what they do.

 

It didn't say a lot of things but it does say that he has a complex combination of medical problems - I hope that his family can get strong help.

4 hours ago, Spock said:

How do you get a visa to teach at 73? Surely he wouldn't be admitting to working without an appropriate visa?

 

I know a 75 year old teaching at a private university. No problems.

If it were me I would tell them to pull the plug and not put people to the inconvenience of money raising and flying back to die in the cold , 73 is old enough.

11 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

Treatment must be paid for upfront unless doing so would delay urgent or immediately necessary care (as determined by a clinician). Urgent or immediately necessary care must never be withheld or delayed, even if the patient is unable or unwilling to pay, although they remain liable for the charges where they are not otherwise exempt. In this context, whether treatment is ‘urgent’ is directly dependent on how long a person is expected to remain in the UK, meaning that elective care can sometimes be considered urgent. We explore what this means in practice in section 4.

if charges do apply, relevant bodies must make and recover 150% of the cost of treatment from the liable overseas visitor

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

 

So a refugee who has no money, and not allowed to work is expected to pay utter BS.

16 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

Treatment must be paid for upfront unless doing so would delay urgent or immediately necessary care (as determined by a clinician). Urgent or immediately necessary care must never be withheld or delayed, even if the patient is unable or unwilling to pay, although they remain liable for the charges where they are not otherwise exempt. In this context, whether treatment is ‘urgent’ is directly dependent on how long a person is expected to remain in the UK, meaning that elective care can sometimes be considered urgent. We explore what this means in practice in section 4.

if charges do apply, relevant bodies must make and recover 150% of the cost of treatment from the liable overseas visitor

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

 

 

I would think that retired RFA personnel would qualify for NHS full access in the UK. RFA personnel are employed by the MoD and have all the benefits that come from being Ministry of Defence employed civil servants. War pensioners or those who receive armed forces compensation scheme payments also qualify.

 

It looks like the main money problem is the cost of a dedicated medevac to the UK. 

19 minutes ago, proton said:

If it were me I would tell them to pull the plug and not put people to the inconvenience of money raising and flying back to die in the cold , 73 is old enough.

 

Maybe that's what will happen? How old are you?

Foolish or stubborn. And now a burden to his family and friends due to his irresponsibility (for his own health care needs and finances). Thailand is great for elective, pre-scheduled, short-term procedures at elite facilitie. It’s not a good system for chronic conditions or affordable long-term care. So, unless you are interested in palative care, and don't mind dieing in Thailand, get out while you can (when the diagnosis makes it clear). GoFundMe is not a health insurance plan.

4 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Unfortunately at his age even with a Work Permit he would not be covered under the Thai Social Security system as he is over retirement age. Also health insurance at that age is prohibitively expensive. 
 

Not surprising he is in this jam but it also affects many others whose employers don’t provide private health insurance. I am lucky as my wife’s Government job covers me.

You are wrong on this one. Once you officially retire in Thailand (60 yo) when you have been working here on a work permit as long as you are still working with the work permit in place you can continue to pay the Thai social security monthly payment privately. How do I know this? I do it and have had great service from the general hospital here and the only cost I have to pay is if i want a private room.

Foolish or stubborn. And now a burden to his family and friends due to his irresponsibility (for his own health care needs and finances). Thailand is great for elective, pre-scheduled, short-term procedures at elite facilitie. It’s not a good system for chronic conditions or affordable long-term care. So, unless you are interested in palative care, and don't mind dieing in Thailand, get out while you can (when the diagnosis makes it clear). GoFundMe is not a health insurance plan.

26 minutes ago, brian69 said:

There are emergency doctors to register, maybe not in his case, but say your on holiday in the UK and get sick, you find them, I got registered just outside Brighton Train Station, when I thought I had a skin cancer node. 

Well I've been away from the UK for over 50 years so I wouldn't expect any help from them. My brother who still lives there (the rest left for Australia decades ago) says it's very difficult to get a doctors appointment and once you do you can wait months to see the specialist he refers you to, its best to spend all day in the A&E rather than trying to get an appointment. As a young man I had a road accident in Yugoslavia, I had ten OP's there at no cost, the last OP was to be my badly broken nose but the UK insisted I was to return to the UK for that, when I was reviewed the panel said it was purely cosmetic and gave me a date 3 years into the future. I moved to Germany before then and saw a doctor when I had a bout of flu, he sent me straight away to hospital to have my nose corrected saying the decision by the UK doctors was disgusting. I'm satisfied with the medical treatment here in Thailand, prompt service and good doctors (Isaan). At a certain age it's better to throw in the towel, all this struggling to squeeze out an extra year or so is so undignified, hospice is a better option in my 77 year old opinion .

3 hours ago, thjames007 said:

I hope he gets better soon. 

 

But I thought if you had a legal job in thailand you covered for medical insurance. 

 

My friend went into a diabetic coma and he was covered.  (he was a manager of a local. Restaurant) without that coverage it would have cost him 100s K baht.   

I spent almost twenty years teaching in Thailand, first for a well-known Catholic school and later for the top government school in the provincial capital of the province where I lived.  The "Christian?" Catholic hospital did not offer insurance to non-Thais unless you lived on campus and I lived with my Thai family.  The Thai government school said they did not offer insurance to foreign teachers.  Later, after several years they began to do so only after a board member pointed out that they had to by law.  They then told me I was too old - I was 58.  However the law said the cutoff date was 60.  I could have sued, but then my contract would not have been renewed and I enjoyed my job and cared for my students.  I tried getting insurance privately was was denied because by then I had a pre-existing condition.  I am now 78 and have continued to be denied coverage by several companies.  I am not in "financial distress".  I am debt free - have my own home (In my wife's name) and keep the required 400,00 baht in an account for my yearly spousal visa extension (I also use an agent for all my immigration business because I no longer want to deal with all the paperwork). 

This forum was initially established as a place of dialog to inform and help expats living in Thailand, but it has, unfortunately, evolved into a place for lonely and bitter old men to vent their anger and dissatisfaction with their lives by hurling insults and making unsubstantiated, negative comments.  Some of those who post regularly need to stop and think before making such comments.

I would have thought he would have a good pension as well as his teaching here in Thailand . I’m amazed he did not return home when he first was aware of his illness . I’m 75 insurance cost  is a joke at that age however I have sufficient funds if needed 

7 minutes ago, CM Dad said:

I spent almost twenty years teaching in Thailand, first for a well-known Catholic school and later for the top government school in the provincial capital of the province where I lived.  The "Christian?" Catholic hospital did not offer insurance to non-Thais unless you lived on campus and I lived with my Thai family.  The Thai government school said they did not offer insurance to foreign teachers.  Later, after several years they began to do so only after a board member pointed out that they had to by law.  They then told me I was too old - I was 58.  However the law said the cutoff date was 60.  I could have sued, but then my contract would not have been renewed and I enjoyed my job and cared for my students.  I tried getting insurance privately was was denied because by then I had a pre-existing condition.  I am now 78 and have continued to be denied coverage by several companies.  I am not in "financial distress".  I am debt free - have my own home (In my wife's name) and keep the required 400,00 baht in an account for my yearly spousal visa extension (I also use an agent for all my immigration business because I no longer want to deal with all the paperwork). 

This forum was initially established as a place of dialog to inform and help expats living in Thailand, but it has, unfortunately, evolved into a place for lonely and bitter old men to vent their anger and dissatisfaction with their lives by hurling insults and making unsubstantiated, negative comments.  Some of those who post regularly need to stop and think before making such comments.

 

Well said. But there are a lot more bitter old men in Thailand than there used to be.

Just now, nauseus said:

 

Well said. But there are a lot more bitter old men in Thailand than there used to be.

 

 

That must be because they are living longer....

3 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I would have thought he would have a good pension as well as his teaching here in Thailand . I’m amazed he did not return home when he first was aware of his illness . I’m 75 insurance cost  is a joke at that age however I have sufficient funds if needed 

 

Going back to the UK immediately there was a problem looks to have been the best course but we don't know enough detail.

16 minutes ago, nauseus said:

 

I would think that retired RFA personnel would qualify for NHS full access in the UK. RFA personnel are employed by the MoD and have all the benefits that come from being Ministry of Defence employed civil servants. War pensioners or those who receive armed forces compensation scheme payments also qualify.

 

It looks like the main money problem is the cost of a dedicated medevac to the UK. 

8. Exemptions for specified groups

UK armed forces member (regulation 20)

Scope and conditions: covers all actively serving members, regardless of whether they have been a UK resident, or where they are currently serving.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services#exemptions-for-specified-groups

No mention of Retired personnel

2 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

That must be because they are living longer....

 

Many more have come here at or close to retirement age, with a lot of them completed life part 1. That didn't happen much until about 1998.

1 minute ago, vinny41 said:

8. Exemptions for specified groups

UK armed forces member (regulation 20)

Scope and conditions: covers all actively serving members, regardless of whether they have been a UK resident, or where they are currently serving.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services#exemptions-for-specified-groups

No mention of Retired personnel

 

I know but I reckon that Alexander would get access. He might even be  registered already:

 

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-community/veterans-service-leavers-non-mobilised-reservists/

 

 

5 hours ago, soalbundy said:

That's true, you will be stabilized but anything beyond that (an OP etc) you will pay for. It's difficult enough to get an appointment for an OP for people living in the UK, even cancer patients can wait years sometimes, an expat is at the bottom of the list. an expat pays 3 times the normal cost or gets referred to a private clinic, its all on the NHS website.

Not my experience at all.  With suspected prostate cancer, (following an MRI/diagnosis at Bumrungrad), I returned to the UK with the intention of making it permanent.  I registered with a GP on my arrival and saw that GP 2 days later.  I explained that I had just returned from Thailand with a suspected prostate cancer diagnosis (I had all the medical files), and I got my first hospital appointment within 3 days, thereafter speedy appointments to investigate everything. 

 

The GP and the NHS hospital knew my overseas background and never mentioned any requirement to pay, since my intention was to stay in the UK permanently.

 

The hospital tests and biopsy some weeks later surprisingly found no evidence of cancer, but did find 2 benign calcium stones in my prostate which had led to the misdiagnosis.  I was discharged as a happy man and, being that I had no cancer, I returned back to Asia.

 

Note that even though I returned back to live in Asia, this did not make me liable to pay for the NHS fees because it was my intention at the time to remain in the UK, and therefore I had no mislead the doctors etc (all this confirmed by those doctors and my GP!).

1 hour ago, brian69 said:

There are emergency doctors to register, maybe not in his case, but say your on holiday in the UK and get sick, you find them, I got registered just outside Brighton Train Station, when I thought I had a skin cancer node. 

I stayed in a hotel in Blackpool and gave that address when I registered with the GP.  The surgery office was quite happy with those details and issued me with a new NHS number, (I had one before about 50 years previously..)

5 hours ago, soalbundy said:

an expat is at the bottom of the list. an expat pays 3 times the normal cost or gets referred to a private clinic, its all on the NHS website.

there is a nasty gloating tone to your post

5 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Where does it say he was still working?

Okay past tense "had been working"... but still had no health plan to fall back-on in his advancing years

6 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Agreed👍

 

Probably adding an extra tug at peoples hearts to donate.  

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

At a certain age it's better to throw in the towel, all this struggling to squeeze out an extra year or so is so undignified, hospice is a better option in my 77 year old opinion .

I tend to agree,  However  those wishing to utilise "go fund me" or other crowdfunding Apps in an attempt to reduce their suffering are perfectly entitled to do so. Those who wish to contribute are also free to do so , those who do not wish to contribute are in no way obligated and should maintain a dignified silence and mind their own business

2 hours ago, vinny41 said:

From 8 April 2015, we will collect information on passengers leaving the UK as we do for those entering.

 In 1998 embarkation checks were scrapped entirely.

 

And there have been some recent stories in the press about Brits being prosecuted for not letting the authorities know they were out of the country.  I don't think that's what they got banged up for.  As I recall, it was for receiving benefits to which they were not entitled.  Not reporting being out of the country (as legally required, according to the articles) just added to their legal woes.

reported post and response to it removed