Sr. citizen visiting the UK, need advice on travel insurance and NHS

[ab7132]

Hi All,

My father is 72 years old and mother is 63 years old.

They will be visiting for the first time in the UK on tourist visa.

Need clarification on the following:

First section:
1. Does NHS cover the emergency health visit? If he suddenly feels unwell, can we call 999 and take help from NHS? Will I be charged as visit is less than 6 months and no health surcharge is paid?
2. For Non critical care: does GP provide free service (provided we get GP appointment)? Or it will be charged as they are on tourist visa? How do we check the cost for GP visit on tourist visa? Or do I need to visit private clinic for Non critical help?
I am looking into travel insurance options but I need to understand what is covered on tourist visa from NHS.

Second section:
If I buy travel insurance, insurance usually have access fees and there are limits on the charges. How much are the NHS charges for the following (high level cost so that I can understand which travel insurance to buy)
1. hospital admission and bed cost?
2. Blood tests?
3. Medication?
Etc?
How to find private clinics in the area? Google search or NHS has any information on list of private clinics?

[alterhase58]

You will probably have looked at this guide already, if not:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visitin ... om-abroad/
Note they should have travel insurance, which covers for medical costs, but also for repatriation, which is not paid for by the NHS.
I don't believe there's a uniform menu of NHS/GP pricing - much of it depends on the local NHS Trusts and clinical commissioning groups which can set their own level of charges and also which treatments they offer (free or chargeable).
You can always google "private clinics or private GPs" for the area they will visit.
Emergency treatment is normally free of charge - though the ambulance service and A&E departments are overstretched.

Other members will probably comment on the finer details of entitlement to NHS/GP services.

[lolo2]

Travel insurance is not required or mandatory to visit the UK but it's strongly advised to get covered by one.

Some GP practices are able to register a visitor as a temporary patient for up to three months, depending on their availability.

People over 60 years old in England are entitled to get medicines and some tests (X-rays, blood tests, etc) for free no matter their immigration status, as long as the patient is registered in a practice and these medicines and tests are prescribed by a UK GP or consultant.

Emergency care is also free as advised before. Any non-emergency treatment (elective operations, etc) will be charged. There are some NHS price lists online but every trust has their own price frame.

Be aware that for basically every service in the NHS (free or not), there are waiting lists that the visitor will be also put in as everyone else, so it doesn't make any sense to wait three-four months or more to get a test for someone visiting the UK for a few weeks.

Therefore the travel insurance is really important, in the private sector everything is available at a cost. Nonetheless, some private establishments are also experiencing very high demand due to the current situation in the NHS.

[JB007]

Each of the four nations have their own NHS and accessing healthcare could be different from say England. Which country do you live in?

[JB007]

And which counrty are your parents citizens of?

[ab7132]

I live in England(London) and they will be visiting from India.

[JB007]

I am looking into travel insurance options but I need to understand what is covered on tourist visa from NHS.

Second section:
If I buy travel insurance, insurance usually have access fees and there are limits on the charges. How much are the NHS charges for the following (high level cost so that I can understand which travel insurance to buy)

Any treatment that may have to be paid for will be charged at 150% of the national NHS rate.

The UK government always advises visitors to the UK to take out travel or health insurance that has the necessary healthcare coverage for their needs. This is particularly important for those with pre-existing health conditions. Appropriate insurance means visitors may be able to recoup any treatment costs from their insurer.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... pital-care

You pay the NHS and claim the money back from the insurer you chose to use.

What limited healthcare they can have for free, depends on which of the four NHS they use (England, Scotland, Wales, NI) and which country they are from.

[JB007]

I live in England(London) and they will be visiting from India.

Sorry, I just crossed posted with you.

For NHS England-

They can consult with a GP without charge, but other things must be paid for. e.g.Blood tests taken in the GP surgery but sent away for testing, must be paid for.

Hospital
All other patients are charged for NHS treatment, except for treatment that is free to all. Payment is required in full and in advance of treatment where clinicians consider the need for treatment to be non-urgent (meaning it can wait until the patient can reasonably be expected to return to their country of residence). Where clinicians consider treatment to be immediately necessary or urgent, it will be provided even if the patient has not paid in advance and the patient will be asked for payment afterwards.

Prescription charges can apply for out-patient or day-patient treatment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitle ... alth-guide

Free for all services in England
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitle ... ee-for-all

You will need to have good travel insurance for them as you will be the one claiming back money from the insurer that you paid to the NHS. You pay the NHS at 150% of the NHS nattional charge.

[JB007]

People over 60 years old in England are entitled to get medicines and some tests (X-rays, blood tests, etc) for free no matter their immigration status, as long as the patient is registered in a practice and these medicines and tests are prescribed by a UK GP or consultant.

Could you post the link for this please.

All I can find is that only those that are ordinarily resident (as defined under the Immigration Act 2014) can use the NHS bill free: and that ordinarily resident is defined as somebody who resides in the UK and is either a British citizen, holds ILR (and now the Withdrawal Setteld Status and Pre-Settled Status too I assume).

I can't find what you stated in this either
Visitors who do not need to pay for NHS treatment
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visitin ... treatment/
Or in this
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitle ... ee-for-all

[JB007]

Emergency care is also free as advised before. Any non-emergency treatment (elective operations, etc) will be charged.

That's not correct: there is only limited treatment for free. Under the present list of "free services" for NHS England -

...the NHS services that are currently free of charge irrespective of an overseas visitor’s country of normal residence (as long as they have not travelled to the UK for the purpose of seeking that treatment). These services are:

accident and emergency services, such as those provided at an A&E department, walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or urgent care centre (not including emergency services provided after being admitted as an inpatient, or at a follow-up outpatient appointment, for which charges must be levied unless the overseas visitor is exempt)
...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitle ... ee-for-all

All the expensive stuff is billed, at 150% of the nationall NHS charge even though it isn't "elective". eg. Get hit by a vehicle, fall down stairs, heart attack, stoke etc and therefore need to be admitted to a ward/operation/post care etc, it's billed. They pay the NHS and claim the money back from their travel/health insurer.

The UK doesn't insist on travel/health insurance because it is up to the visitor if they want to claim their money back that they paid to the NHS. If it was urgent treatment and they could pay afterwards and didn't, the NHS Trust report them to the UKVI. Unpaid NHS bills of £500 or higher, means no visa/entry to the UK again until the bill is paid.

[ab7132]

You will probably have looked at this guide already, if not:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visitin ... om-abroad/
Note they should have travel insurance, which covers for medical costs, but also for repatriation, which is not paid for by the NHS.
I don't believe there's a uniform menu of NHS/GP pricing - much of it depends on the local NHS Trusts and clinical commissioning groups which can set their own level of charges and also which treatments they offer (free or chargeable).
You can always google "private clinics or private GPs" for the area they will visit.
Emergency treatment is normally free of charge - though the ambulance service and A&E departments are overstretched.

Other members will probably comment on the finer details of entitlement to NHS/GP services.

Thanks

[ab7132]

I live in England(London) and they will be visiting from India.

Sorry, I just crossed posted with you.

For NHS England-

They can consult with a GP without charge, but other things must be paid for. e.g.Blood tests taken in the GP surgery but sent away for testing, must be paid for.

Hospital
All other patients are charged for NHS treatment, except for treatment that is free to all. Payment is required in full and in advance of treatment where clinicians consider the need for treatment to be non-urgent (meaning it can wait until the patient can reasonably be expected to return to their country of residence). Where clinicians consider treatment to be immediately necessary or urgent, it will be provided even if the patient has not paid in advance and the patient will be asked for payment afterwards.

Prescription charges can apply for out-patient or day-patient treatment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitle ... alth-guide

Free for all services in England
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitle ... ee-for-all

You will need to have good travel insurance for them as you will be the one claiming back money from the insurer that you paid to the NHS. You pay the NHS at 150% of the NHS nattional charge.

Thanks