health coverage for US citizens here as visitors

i am not sure how this works, what is free and what isn't for a US citizen visiting the UK (in terms of health coverage)? i assume they would need travel insurance, right? cheers.

You are only covered by the NHS if you are resident on a visa that lasts for at least 6 months, so yes, you will need travel insurance.

You are only covered by the NHS if you are resident on a visa that lasts for at least 6 months, so yes, you will need travel insurance.

Many private US health insurance will cover you overseas. You may already have coverage.

Many private US health insurance will cover you overseas. You may already have coverage.

could you recommend me a good US private insurance company that offers that? the person i'm asking for is a student with no insurance, could she get private insurance for 6 months or so? would it be and easy process, how much would it cost? thank you.

If she has an emergency while she is here and goes to A&E (the ER) she will be treated at no cost. My mom was visiting us and broke her arm and we took her and she was treated, had it set and never paid a penny. I won't get into the fact they set it wrong

Also if she is here as a student is she here on a visa? If she is on a student visa she will have access to the NHS

If she has an emergency while she is here and goes to A&E (the ER) she will be treated at no cost. My mom was visiting us and broke her arm and we took her and she was treated, had it set and never paid a penny. I won't get into the fact they set it wrong

Unless all of that was done in A&E - not anywhere else in the hospital premisis - she should have had a bill raised for it, I'm afraid.

From the Department of Health:

You will have to pay the full cost of all the treatment you receive, including emergency treatment, given by staff at a hospital or by staff employed by a hospital. However, there are some services that are free of charge to everyone:

Treatment given only in an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department or in a NHS Walk-in Centre providing services similar to those of an A&E department (excludes emergency treatment given elsewhere in the hospital);

Just have her google travel insurance.  There are plenty of comparison sites for US people. 

could you recommend me a good US private insurance company that offers that? the person i'm asking for is a student with no insurance, could she get private insurance for 6 months or so? would it be and easy process, how much would it cost? thank you.

sorry, just saw this now. No if she doesn't already have private insurance I am sorry I don't have a suggestion. Generally health insurance is outrageously priced in the US unless you get it through your employer.

I had great travel insurance and it even covered pre-existing conditions, but it was pricey at $400 for 6 months.  On the other hand, I did claim back almost 2,500 and got it with no hassle at all.

we found a few offers and got one that is about 50$/mo. we had a hard time finding anything this cheap, i mean here in the uk you get travel ins that's even cheaper and covers a lot more while most of the american ones were priced in the hundreds and covered a lot less 

Unless all of that was done in A&E - not anywhere else in the hospital premisis - she should have had a bill raised for it, I'm afraid.

From the Department of Health:

It was all done in the A&E - as I said, if she has an emergency it will be covered. I didn't say if she had additional procedures done that it would be.

Let just summarise who is free, and what is not free, for a visitor to the UK.

Let's assume someone collapses in the street. Someone dials 999! :-

• Treatment by the paramedics at the scene is free
• Transport to the A&E department is free
• Treatment in the A&E department is free
• But then if they need to be transferred to a Ward or indeed to a theatre, it is not free!

In other words, just when it starts to get very expensive, the need to pay starts!

Accordingly anyone coming to the UK as a visitor really does not to ensure that they have adequate medical insurance cover.

Also if she is here as a student is she here on a visa? If she is on a student visa she will have access to the NHS

When I was in the UK in the 80's as a student, I caught pneumonia.  I spent 10 days in the hospital at no cost. 

When I was in the UK in the 80's as a student, I caught pneumonia.  I spent 10 days in the hospital at no cost. 

Were you here for longer than 6 months?  Students are covered, but they might also just be more strict now.