Private health insurance requirement to avoid deportation

I'm a US citizen married to a UK citizen, hoping to go to England on a spouse visa later this year. Reading an article in the current Economist magazine freaked me out:

Since the Brexit vote, thousands of EU citizens have applied for formal recognition of their status in Britain by using a complex system modelled on that for migrants from outside Europe. More than a quarter have been rejected, including long-term resident spouses of British citizens, often because of an obscure rule that economically inactive immigrants must have private health insurance

http://www.economist.com/news/international/21717839-rich-countries-are-trying-ever-harder-removing-unauthorised-immigrants-difficult-and

Does anyone know what "economically inactive immigrants" refers to here? Would it include a retired US person in UK on a spouse visa? I was under the impression that a spouse visa ("family of a settled person" visa) entitled you to use of the NHS.

I'm a US citizen married to a UK citizen, hoping to go to England on a spouse visa later this year. Reading an article in the current Economist magazine freaked me out:http://www.economist.com/news/international/21717839-rich-countries-are-trying-ever-harder-removing-unauthorised-immigrants-difficult-and

Does anyone know what "economically inactive immigrants" refers to here? Would it include a retired US person in UK on a spouse visa? I was under the impression that a spouse visa ("family of a settled person" visa) entitled you to use of the NHS.

Don't worry! That pertains to EU citizens exercising their freedom of movement rights. Nothing to do with you on a spouse visa. You will pay the NHS surcharge as part of your application and will then have full access to the NHS. 

Don't worry! That pertains to EU citizens exercising their freedom of movement rights. Nothing to do with you on a spouse visa. You will pay the NHS surcharge as part of your application and will then have full access to the NHS. 

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for the reassurance! With the uncertainties of Brexit and with our current US president, there's plenty else for me to worry about regarding migration. 

You will pay the NHS surcharge as part of your application and will then have full access to the NHS. 

Apart from IVF treatment for free with that surcharge, but I doubt that bothers a retired person.

Apart from IVF treatment for free with that surcharge, but I doubt that bothers a retired person.

Thanks Sirius.   

Apart from IVF treatment for free with that surcharge, but I doubt that bothers a retired person.

  You are right, Sirius. Whether IVF treatment will be free or not is not on my wife's and my worry lists!

Thanks Sirius. 

TBF, although that 'no discretionary treatment such as IVF' was part of the law that brought in the Immigration Health Surcharge, they never implemented that part: now they are.

Oh and that "obsure rule" needed for some EEA citizens and their familes using free movement, it was never obsure. It was clearly written in the EU Directive for free movement in 2004! Listed under each section of "qualifed person", so there could be no mistake what was required. All that has happened is that Brexit has caught out all those who are not lawfully in the UK.