What happens if you are admitted to / go to a hospital in the UK as a foreigner and you don't have health insurance?
We are planning a trip for my family to visit us in the UK (England specifically). They will come on a standard visitor visa. One of my family members has a heart condition which means they have an increased chance of needing to go to hospital during their stay.
Of course, we are planning on buying health insurance. This made me wonder though, what happens if we don't have health insurance? What level of care would be provided? Will there be a fee? If so, how much? How is it paid? What if one does not pay?
Best Answer
The Government has a page about this aimed at visitors at:
But it doesn't cover what exactly happens in the can't pay/won't pay scenario.
Treatment in A&E (what Americans would call the ER) is free. However A&E only handle the immediate stabalisation/treatment resulting from an accident or emergency. Admission to hospital is normally chargeable and so are follow-up outpatient appointments.
Similarly if you see a GP, the services from the GP themselves is free, but services they refer you for generally won't be.
There are exceptions, some services are free including most infectious disease treatments. Some countries also have reciprocal agreements with the UK that may cover healthcare that would otherwise be chargeable.
If you have to pay then according to the government you will be charged at "150% of the national NHS rate". I have no idea how one would go about finding out what the "national NHS rate" is.
I'm fairly sure the NHS won't withhold urgent healthcare or lower it's treatment standards because of the inability to pay. However failure to pay debts to the NHS is likely to be used as grounds to refuse future visas.
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Is healthcare free in UK for foreigners?
Those who are not ordinarily resident in the UK, including former UK residents, are overseas visitors and may be charged for NHS services. Treatment in A&E departments and at GP surgeries remains free for all.Can a visitor go to hospital in UK?
Hospital treatment is free to people who are "ordinarily resident" in the UK. To be considered ordinarily resident and entitled to free hospital treatment, you must be living in the UK on a lawful and properly settled basis for the time being. You may be asked to prove this.Do you have to pay for hospital care in the UK?
If you are visiting the UK for less than six months you will have to pay a fee for using NHS services. If you need NHS hospital treatment during your stay, you will be charged 150% of the standard NHS rate, although this charge may vary if an exemption category applies to you or the treatment.How long do you have to live in the UK before you can use the NHS?
If you're coming to England for 6 months or less or did not pay the surcharge when you were required to, you'll be charged for certain NHS services unless an exemption applies.WHY I LEFT BEING A NURSE IN THE UK TO BE A NURSE IN THE UNITED SATES OF AMERICA | UK VS USA
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