New Migrants and Visitors to charged for NHS

[Jay Sata]

Jeremy Hunt has unveiled new rules for visitors and migrants to the UK.

All visitors and migrants in their first year here will be charged for non emergency treatment.

http://news.sky.com/story/1109710/nhs-tourism-govt-to-announce-crackdown

Mr Hunt will launch a consultation on introducing a tracking system that would mean a patient's NHS number is linked to their immigration status.

The report in the Mail on Sunday claims health tourism costs every taxpayer £1.00 a year.

I did not know migrants are supposed to pay during the first year here.

People who have lived in the UK for less than a year should pay for non-emergency hospital treatment – but many don’t because staff assume the NHS number means they are eligible for free care.

The biggest offenders – in order – are from Nigeria, Poland, British expats, Portugal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

The good news is that expats are going to be exempt from charges if they have paid over 10 years contributions.

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