Six Months in Each Country?

In the medium-term my wife and I would like to look at spending about six months in the UK and about six months in the US. Currently we are in the UK. I think healthcare is the only major stumbling block.

My wife is disabled and has Medicare, so in the US she can get a Medicare Advantage HMO plan and that covers her pre-existing health issues. I can also get US individual health insurance. We've both had those in the past in the US so that is straightforward.

But what about the UK? My understanding is that we will have to pay for all UK treatment (except emergency out-patient). Bupa doesn't cover pre-existing/chronic conditions and my wife has a couple of those.

Are there any options available for the UK side?

Thanks, Andy

What is your current visa status in the UK?

If you keep your visa status current or apply for citizenship if you qualify, you can use the NHS.

From looking at their previous posts, ajayre's wife has just applied for citizenship, so they would both be UK citizens.

In which case, using the NHS will have nothing to do with visa status and everything to do with maintaining ordinary residence in the UK.

As UK citizens, if they have lived outside the UK for more than 3 months in the previous year, they are not entitled to free NHS care UNLESS they have been working abroad for less than 5 years AND have lived in the UK continuously for 10 years at some point.

So, assuming ajayre was born and raised in the UK, he would still be entitled to free NHS care during the 6 months in the UK , however his wife would not, as she has not lived in the UK continuously for 10 years.

From the NHS:

Entitlement to Free NHS Hospital Treatment by Non-Resident UK Citizens

This leaflet has been compiled to explain the entitlement requirements for free NHS hospital treatment in the UK for Non-Resident UK Citizens.

• The NHS does not normally provide free hospital treatment for people who do not reside in the UK even if they are UK nationals
• If you have lived outside the UK for more than 3 months (6 months for some pensioners) in the last year you can be charged
• You will be exempt from charges if you can produce evidence that you have been working abroad for less than 5 years and have lived in the UK continuously for at least 10 years at some point
• If you are residing in another European Economic Area member state you should show your European Health Insurance Card from that country or apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate where possible
• If you have come to the UK from a non-EEA country that the UK has no bilateral agreement with you will be expected to pay for treatment unless another exemption applies to you

I've lived in the UK from birth to 22 but then in the US for 12 years and now back in the UK for three years so far. So I was out of the UK for more than five years.

The page you reference only mentions "hospital treatment", but what about medications and GPs?

This page http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/healthcare_ni/healthcare_help_with_health_costs_e/nhs_charges_for_people_from_abroad.htm says:

You can receive free NHS hospital treatment if you:-

have been living legally in the UK for at least 12 months when you start treatment, and did not come to the UK for private medical treatment. Temporary absences from the UK of up to three months (in England, up to 182 days) are ignored

So we are living in the UK permanently now. We go to the US for less than 182 days. We come back and have access to the NHS?

Anyway, my concern is that this 182 day limit could be changed at any time - or perhaps doesn't apply to us anyway.

So are there any private options for pre-existing conditions or a list of NHS charges somewhere?

Andy