What Happens Of She Gets Swine Flu?

[tariq]

Hi

My GF is here on a UKVV.

2 people have come down with swine flu where I work and I've started thinking about what happens if I get it and pass it on to her.

She has no medical insurance and she is unable to access public funds with her visa type but not sure if that means access to visiting doctors or getting prescriptions too. What happened if she had an accident and needed surgery? !

Any advise greatly appreciated as I haven't got a clue woth this one!Thanks

Tariq...

[CharlieB]

Hi

My GF is here on a UKVV.

2 people have come down with swine flu where I work and I've started thinking about what happens if I get it and pass it on to her.

She has no medical insurance and she is unable to access public funds with her visa type but not sure if that means access to visiting doctors or getting prescriptions too. What happened if she had an accident and needed surgery? !

Any advise greatly appreciated as I haven't got a clue woth this one!Thanks

Tariq...

If she's your girlfriend and you have sponsored her coming over here to be with you, why didn't you get her travel insurance for the length of her trip? It's normal for people visiting other countries to get insurance to cover medical emergencies. Better get on the phone quickly if you're that worried.

[Orac]

Why do you not just get some medical insurance??

[tariq]

OK thanks for that but what happens if she falls sick and needs medical attention and she doesn't have madical insurance.

I am sure there'll be other members who would be interested in the answer too?

Can anyone recommend medical insurance companies (with websites if possible). I don't know if one can go to any UK insurance cppany to get a quote for a foreign national visiting the UK or if it would have ot be a Thai insurance copany?

Thanks

Tariq..

[harrry]

Unlike in Thailand she will be treated if she gets sick. She will recieve a bill and if you have guaranteed her by sponsering her you will be liable for the payment of that and the Health service will recover it from you

[garyh]

What if she falls and breaks her leg or has some other medical problem??

[CharlieB]

What happens if you're on holiday in Thailand and you fall and break your leg. You pay for the medical care and claim it back of your travel insurance, or you call your travel insurance and they pay the bill. That's the whole point of travel insurance. I find it odd that people can't work out that someone coming from another country for a visit to this one and having a medical emergency shouldn't have to have travel insurance to claim medical bills back, or perhaps the good old british tax payer should just foot the bill?

[tariq]

What happens if you're on holiday in Thailand and you fall and break your leg. You pay for the medical care and claim it back of your travel insurance, or you call your travel insurance and they pay the bill. That's the whole point of travel insurance. I find it odd that people can't work out that someone coming from another country for a visit to this one and having a medical emergency shouldn't have to have travel insurance to claim medical bills back, or perhaps the good old british tax payer should just foot the bill?

I don't really understand the point of your post, CharlyB. I have already stated she is unable to access public funds so I don't believe at any point I have suggested that the "good old british tax payer should just foot the bill?". I am one of those tax payers too and would be unhappy if I had to foot the bill on behalf of a visitor to the UK.

As her sponsor I am prepared to foot the bill on her behalf. If you had taken the time to read my post properly instead of jumping to the wrong conclusion, you would have seen that I written that I was not sure if acess to public funds means access to visiting doctors and getting prescriptions too. Not all prescriptions are free are they? So my post is regarding process as opposed to cost.

I find it odd that people don't read posts properly before getting on their high horse.....

Any helpful responses regarding process and recommended insurance companies would be appreciated.

Thanks

[CharlieB]

What happens if you're on holiday in Thailand and you fall and break your leg. You pay for the medical care and claim it back of your travel insurance, or you call your travel insurance and they pay the bill. That's the whole point of travel insurance. I find it odd that people can't work out that someone coming from another country for a visit to this one and having a medical emergency shouldn't have to have travel insurance to claim medical bills back, or perhaps the good old british tax payer should just foot the bill?

I don't really understand the point of your post, CharlyB. I have already stated she is unable to access public funds so I don't believe at any point I have suggested that the "good old british tax payer should just foot the bill?". I am one of those tax payers too and would be unhappy if I had to foot the bill on behalf of a visitor to the UK.

As her sponsor I am prepared to foot the bill on her behalf. If you had taken the time to read my post properly instead of jumping to the wrong conclusion, you would have seen that I written that I was not sure if acess to public funds means access to visiting doctors and getting prescriptions too. Not all prescriptions are free are they? So my post is regarding process as opposed to cost.

I find it odd that people don't read posts properly before getting on their high horse.....

Any helpful responses regarding process and recommended insurance companies would be appreciated.

Thanks

I was replying to garyh. You could probably work this out as he asked what you do if she breaks a leg and I started off by saying what you would do in Thailand if you fell and broke a leg.

In answer to your questions, if she needs to, you can call your doctor and ask to make a private appointment, which you will have to pay for and you will be issued with a private prescription.

BTW it would probably have been cheaper if she had bought insurance before she came. I'm not sure if any UK insurance companies will do travel insurance for a foreign national who is already in the UK, but they might.

Edited July 22, 2009 by CharlieB

[theoldgit]

Clearly it isn't sensible to undertake such a trip without adequate insurance, but she didn't so there is no point harping on.

My girlfriend usually buys her insurance from Worlds Nomads, it's underwritten by BUPA and you can buy and even claim online, the certificate is sent by email so I presume she would have no problem buying now, also they are reasonably priced. Obviously she should have purchased before the trip but she might be able to purchase now for anything that happens from then onwards, though if there was a major claim they might cry foul.

http://www.worldnomads.com/allcountries.aspx?country=THA

If she was unlucky enough to get swine flu, or any flu, as you have suggested you could get a private appointment from many GP's or even from one of the myriad of private walk in clinics, though I suspect they would prescribe little more than paracetamol. In the event of a serious illness I doubt very much if she would be refused emergency treatment at any NHS hospital.

[mjperry]

Clearly it isn't sensible to undertake such a trip without adequate insurance, but she didn't so there is no point harping on.

My girlfriend usually buys her insurance from Worlds Nomads, it's underwritten by BUPA and you can buy and even claim online, the certificate is sent by email so I presume she would have no problem buying now, also they are reasonably priced. Obviously she should have purchased before the trip but she might be able to purchase now for anything that happens from then onwards, though if there was a major claim they might cry foul.

http://www.worldnomads.com/allcountries.aspx?country=THA

If she was unlucky enough to get swine flu, or any flu, as you have suggested you could get a private appointment from many GP's or even from one of the myriad of private walk in clinics, though I suspect they would prescribe little more than paracetamol. In the event of a serious illness I doubt very much if she would be refused emergency treatment at any NHS hospital.

I'd read this before on the World Nomads site, as they're aimed at travellers I think they are used to dealing with people who forget to buy cover before they leave, this is from the FAQ's on their website:

Can I purchase a policy if I have already left home?

Yes, you can purchase a World Nomads policy even if you have already left on your travels. Unlike other insurance companies, you don't have to be in your country of residence to purchase a policy. Please refer to your policy wording for specific detail.

They are the only one's I know of that let you do this, so they would be my recommendation.

But to directly answer your question, as the Swine Flu is now rated as being in 'Phase 6' otherwise known as a Pandemic by the World Health Organisation the NHS is now exempting overseas visitors to the UK from any costs involved in it's treatment. This came into effect on June 11th when the WHO increased the rating of Swine Flu to Pandemic. So she would get any treatment if she catches this while in the UK completely free of charge.

Edited July 22, 2009 by mjperry

[mjperry]

Also this is what the Department of Health says about overseas visitors who don't qualify for free treatment from the NHS:

What do I have to pay for?

All treatment given by staff at a hospital or by staff employed by a hospital may be subject to a charge with the following exceptions, which are free to all:

Treatment given in an accident and emergency department (excludes emergency treatment given elsewhere in the hospital);

Treatment given in a walk in centre providing similar services to those of an accident and emergency department of a hospital;

Treatment for certain communicable diseases (excluding HIV/AIDS where it is only the first diagnosis and connected counselling sessions that are charge free);

Compulsory psychiatric treatment.

Family planning services

Edited July 22, 2009 by mjperry

[kennkate]

I would just like to Point out that the NHS is Not Funded from Public Funds.

The NHS is Funded from National Insurance Contributions

[7by7]

Not quite, the NHS is funded mainly from general taxation, with a small proportion raised through national insurance contributions. .

The majority NI contributions fund contribution based benefits, such as the state pension, contribution based job seekers allowance etc., which you don't get if you haven't contributed. One does not need to have made any NI contributions to get NHS treatment.

As to what treatment visitors to the UK will get, the simple answer is everything; but anything not on mjperry's list will be charged for, including any further treatment one may require after the initial emergency treatment by A&E.

[msg362]

Hi

My GF is here on a UKVV.

2 people have come down with swine flu where I work and I've started thinking about what happens if I get it and pass it on to her.

She has no medical insurance and she is unable to access public funds with her visa type but not sure if that means access to visiting doctors or getting prescriptions too. What happened if she had an accident and needed surgery? !

Any advise greatly appreciated as I haven't got a clue woth this one!Thanks

Tariq...

You pay! Don't worry to much about the 'flu, most people have a mild version and I guess you can afford paracetamol. Pharmacies here are pretty good and can dispense many drugs, don't know about Tamiflu '

though. They are not very good at mending broken bones!

[theoldgit]

My girlfriend usually buys her insurance from Worlds Nomads, it's underwritten by BUPA and you can buy and even claim online, the certificate is sent by email so I presume she would have no problem buying now.

http://www.worldnomads.com/allcountries.aspx?country=THA

I posted this yesterday in reply to the question about insurance, coincidentally I got an email from them today offering a discount of 10% until the end of the year.

If it's of use to anyone you have to enter the code WNXMAS

[tariq]

Thanks to all for your responses and advice - much appreciated.

CharlyB, my apologies if I misunderstood your reply. I thought you were having a pop at me. It gets on my nerves sometimes that some people reply to posts with the intent of having a go at the poster rather than giving guidance and advise which is what I thought this site was about.

I'm wiping the egg of my face as I type!

Tariq...