Confused.

And it kind of upsets those of us who pay into the National Insurance when we read story after story of those getting free service.  And, yes, for them it is free because they pay into it in absolutely no way.  So none of that "free at the point of service" stuff, okay?

Hmmm.....   I understand the point you're making, and agree entirely that there are those who would come here deliberately for NHS treatment.

To play devil's advocate a little though,  can you say that a tourist or other visitor has not contributed at all? 

How about the VAT paid on items bought while in Britain?   What about the huge tax on any gasoline or diesel bought while here?     How about the airport departure tax when leaving?     

That's tax - NOT National Insurance.  On my payslip, it shows the two very clearly differentiated.

If someone is here on holiday they should have travel insurance that covers medical treatment anyway, so they should be giving the insurance details to the hospital/doctor ... shouldn't they?

That's tax - NOT National Insurance.  On my payslip, it shows the two very clearly differentiated.

There's a distinction at the point of collection, but it all goes into the giant government money pot.  You can't say that the N.I. contributions are the sole payment for the NHS any more than you can say that the money collected on road tax is all spent on the roads.

Also, non-EC visitors are eligible for VAT refunds from participating retailers.

Also, non-EC visitors are eligible for VAT refunds from participating retailers.

Which would means that they AREN'T paying VAT which goes into the big pot after all, in some cases...

Also, non-EC visitors are eligible for VAT refunds from participating retailers.

Fair comment, but it is only from certain places, so I think you'd have a hard time finding genuine tourists who have not paid VAT in some form or other.  How about the other taxes though?  They can't reclaim them.   

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not really arguing passionately one way or the other, just pointing out that it's not quite so clear-cut as saying that tourists have not paid anything into the system here.

They get a refund if their purchase is over a certain minimum and they take the time to fill out the forms and wait in line at the airport to request a refund.  I imagine that most of the VAT non-EC tourists pay never gets claimed back.

I don't think that is the true issue at hand.  Whoever said that the hospital staff need training on this issue is spot on. They probably don't run into this situation all that often and so when it does occur, they honestly have no idea how to do the right thing.  I think most people visiting this country, who are unfortunate enough to have a trip to the hospital, would be willing to go through the proper channels and would expect to be charged something.  But if no one knows how to accept their good will, what can we as tax paying legal UK residents do???  Storm the NHS headquarters and demand reform....I would much rather know that in the unfortunate circumstance that someone I love needs medical attention whilst in the UK, they would get it regardless of their ability to pay.

 

Fair comment, but it is only from certain places, so I think you'd have a hard time finding genuine tourists who have not paid VAT in some form or other. How about the other taxes though? They can't reclaim them.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not really arguing passionately one way or the other, just pointing out that it's not quite so clear-cut as saying that tourists have not paid anything into the system here.

Yes but British tourists pay similar taxes in the US and don't get free medical treatment there.  Although we do have recpriocal agreements with EU countries and New Zealand.

Yes but British tourists pay similar taxes in the US and don't get free medical treatment there. 

True, but the local sales taxes, gas taxes, hotel taxes etc. don't provide medical care for American tourists or residents either.

Well I would have thought the same about VAT.

Well I would have thought the same about VAT.

Maybe that's getting to the heart of the issue.   There's virtually no correlation between taxes and services, so nobody really knows what each tax is paying for.

I know this is a little late. . . .But, when I was at the ER, I really got the sense that the staff was almost too apathetic to figure out if I was supposed to pay. So, they just kind of turned a blind eye to me, even when I tried to give them my information. . . .I was a little bit surprised that they didn't seem to know what to do (or care enough to do it) since Aberdeen is a pretty big ex-pat town and I went to the main hospital.

(By the way, I STILL haven't gotten a bill.)