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Original poster

NHS bill for £1000

254 replies

ladle4455 · 17/11/2023 19:12

My dad, 80, came for a visit from overseas from overseas for three months. He is fit and healthy but its impossible to find health insurance at his age. Anyway, there was a health emergency and we went to A&E. Waited for 7 hours but after 15 minutes of diagnostic tests (x ray etc but no medicines) was told there was no problem. was hugely relieved. I thought there was no charge as it was an emergency but have now been sent a bill for £1000. Apparently the charge for overseas patients is 150% (there times the actual cost) and the test was done by another department not A&E. Any advise? I have to sell my car to be able to pay as I don't want dad to have a debt over him.

OP posts:
GasDrivenNun · 20/11/2023 11:21

You could try specialist insurers such as allclear and insurewith
Maybe give them a call.

pleasehelpwi3 · 20/11/2023 17:46

Ballsbaill · 19/11/2023 10:27

I once watched UK border force which is a dreadful programme and whilst flipping channels it caught my attention. It was a feature on the border agency station in an African country.

A pregnant woman was travelling to the US via London. She was about 30 weeks so not about to give birth but getting there. She had family in the States. The UK border agency stopped her and asked her if the US embassy knew she was pregnant when she applied for her visa.

She wouldn't answer and went nuts at the official shouting that it was none of the UKs business and she was going to the US. To which the border guard responded it is our business as you've chosen to fly to States via London you're not going to straight there on a delta or US Airlines flight.

They refused to let her board and told her to speak to US embassy and inform them of her pregnancy. She never did and the visa was cancelled.

The explanation was any child born on US soil is a citizen and its quite common to go there to give birth because of this and they can potentially stay there.

She was going via London to avoid scrutiny by any US officials but the UK guards did it anyway.

So if we've got UK border guards doing this re the US interests surely our interests can be protected abroad before they get here. Mandatory insurance and full disclosure on visas.

Edited

How odd, I once came across the same episode of the same programme channel hoping a few years ago, and the saw the same bit you refer to.
The lady went mad as the USA is one of the few places in the world where you can become a national by being born there (jus soli versus jus sanguinis) and by stopping her boarding the plane, the whole life chances of her unborn child would have been radically downgraded.
In the West we really don't understand the value of having an EU, UK, USA, Canadian etc passport.

Riverlee · 20/11/2023 18:01

ladle4455 · 20/11/2023 10:50

thanks @MustBeNapTime I entered details for an online quote but they say he has to be under 65.....

Show quote history

It’s fairly standard to have to ring the insurance company directly for pre-existing conditions and/ or over a certain age limit, to get a quote.

L0bstersLass · 20/11/2023 21:41

ladle4455 · 20/11/2023 10:50

thanks @MustBeNapTime I entered details for an online quote but they say he has to be under 65.....

Show quote history

@ladle4455 Phone them and speak to them - 260 5081 0800 260 5081

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