New NHS charges announced for overseas visitors

The government has announced changes to NHS charging regulations that will affect overseas visitors and former UK residents in future.

Coming into effect this April, the new scheme aims to ensure that free NHS treatment is provided only to those who are ordinarily resident in the UK. They come as part of efforts to recoup 500 million pounds a year for the NHS by 2017-18.

Most people who live or work in another EEA country or Switzerland will continue to get free NHS care using a European Health Insurance Card, while UK state pensioners who live elsewhere in the EEA will have the same rights to NHS care as those who live in England.

Others will need to either pay directly or take out personal health insurance, with uninsured people living outside the EEA charged at 150 percent of the NHS national tariff.

There are a number of exemptions to these charges, including armed forces members, war pensioners and those working in UK government-funded posts overseas.Treatment in accident and emergency departments and at GP surgeries will remain free for all.

The government explained that these changes are being made to ensure the NHS "does not lose out on income from migrants, visitors and former residents of the UK who have left, who should all pay for their care while in the country".