Private Health insurance

I'll be moving over in August as a spouse, and will not be eligible for NHS other than emergency care.

I'm on daily heart pills to keep my aFib in check, and also have some fast acters in case something flares up.  But if I don't get those heart pills, I have a lot of trouble after eating with irregular/rapid heart beats for an hour plus.

I am planning on trying to get a little extra before I go, but I was wondering if I bring over a US prescription, can they fill it at a pharmacy?  I'm assuming it will be more than the 8.60 pounds per prescription that NHS members have per month.

I won't be eligible for Bupa until I live there 6 months, and then I'll get penalized for having a lapse in coverage.  Aetna international is pretty expensive, and Cigna International gold is around 107 pounds a month, and there is a 250 pound deductible per visit.

I guess I'm wondering, how much would it cost to be a cash pay for just getting my prescription filled?  Has anyone else had to deal with the time before you are eligible for NHS?

Where did you hear you will not be eligible for NHS care?

If you're moving over with a UK spouse visa (which now includes paying an NHS levy as part of the application), you are entitled to NHS care upon your arrival.

It is a good idea to bring over extra prescription medicine as it will take some time to get registered and seen by the GP.  So just in case there are any delays, you'll have enough medication to see you through until you can get the prescription from your GP in the UK.

Aquila is quite correct. It is a good idea to bring over some extra medical supplies until such time as you are registered. This is what my husband did but as soon as he was called into the surgery for an initial assessment, the GP changed some of the meds. You then pay the small fee for the prescriptions unless you are over 60 when you pay nothing!

You should be eligible for NHS care on a spousal visa. The day we arrived here, my son spiked such a high fever we took him to A&E. We didn't have anything but our visas, which I don't think they even asked us for, and we didn't pay a cent. That being said, do bring extra medication - my doctor had no trouble giving me a few months' supply before I left, and insurance typically will cover it since people do it all the time when they're going on vacation.

Dont forget you can buy a prepaid prescription card.

For £10 odd a month it covers ALL prescriptions. I do the monthly one as i need asymas sprays and allergy medicines. If not is £8odd EACH item so the prepay is a no brainer really

Also, if you have a certain conditions or circumstances, you'll be exempt from prescription charges anyway.

Medical exemption certificates are issued on application to people who have:

- a permanent fistula (for example caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance
- a form of hypoadrenalism (for example Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
- diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism
- diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone
- hypoparathyroidism
- myasthenia gravis
- myxoedema (that is, hypothyroidism requiring thyroid hormone replacement)
- epilepsy requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy
- a continuing physical disability which means the person cannot go out without the help of another person. Temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months

Or are undergoing treatment for cancer:

- including the effects of cancer, or
- the effects of current or previous cancer treatment

http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/Yourhealth/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx