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I am writing to you all from a beach in Corfu. I have just met an English couple in their 80's who had to pay ?350 for two weeks travel insurance. If they were to fall ill here, their lives would be ruined by the crap healthcare and enormous bills for private care.
Greece is in the EU. If a similar Greek couple were to land in the UK and fall ill, the huge machine of the NHS (ie us) would take over and foot the bill.
In other words visitors from the EU, or as far as I know anywhere else, don't need insurance when they visit the UK because we'll look after them gratis, free of charge!
You try falling ill in their countrys and see what happens, you'll be fleeced dry.
Was the free use of the NHS, by the whole World, in the minds of the great men and women who planned it all out after ww2?

jimslip wrote:

> In other words visitors from the EU, or as far as I know
> anywhere else, don't need insurance when they visit the UK
> because we'll look after them gratis, free of charge!


I recall reading a few years ago about this subject. In one of the Middle East countries, (possibly more than one) if you developed appendicitis or suchlike, you didn't book a doctors appointment, you booked a flight to the UK. Arrive at Heathrow, check yourself into the local hospital, get your healthcare courtesy of the British taxpayer instead of paying for it yourself in your own country.

There was a mention of refusing entry to the UK who have unpaid medical bills, but our porous borders and 'uman rights will make that a non-starter.

"I have just met an English couple in their 80's who had to pay ?350 for two weeks travel insurance".

Obviously travel insurance tends to cover a whole lot more than just health insurance which is going to impact on the overall price you pay for such travel insurance.

Some people assume that having a European Health Insurance Card means that you should be automatically covered. This has never been the case.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-liv ... rance/ehic

"Greece is in the EU. If a similar Greek couple were to land in the UK and fall ill, the huge machine of the NHS (ie us) would take over and foot the bill.
In other words visitors from the EU, or as far as I know anywhere else, don't need insurance when they visit the UK because we'll look after them gratis, free of charge!"

This is incorrect. The link below explains more

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Enti ... /DH_074379

And to further correct your totally misleading story about the English being treated horribly overseas whilst treating everyone for free in the good ole UK read this "other side of the coin" story with regard to the Spanish NHS.

http://www.thecasualtruth.com/story/spr ... th-tourism

Enjoy your holiday

Cheers
D

What can you say? It's too big to be managed properly these day's, as to who should have access to it, well, it's free to everybody, is that fair? well, it depends which way you look at it. If you take the recent financial problems, we are always being told that the rich should pay more, but if you are rich, you will bypass the NHS and whenever possible go private, having said that, there are some operations and conditions that can only be treated by the NHS, Quite a lot actually, so if you have a sudden heart condition, you will be treated by the NHS, you may have a private room, but you will still be treated by the NHS, so, if you are rich should you pay for that?, well, if you are a UK citizen-then no, so there is a dichotomy. Should people earning over say ?100,000 contribute towards treatment, if they use the NHS? I think yes, they should, I also think people who are non UK residents, who have a condition that come here for free treatment should also contribute, if they fall into the same income bracket. In short I don't believe the NHS can cope with doling out free treatment anymore, it needs to look at raising revenue to continue to provide the majority with free healthcare regardless of where they are from.
To answer your point about other EU countries, I'm not sure it's correct, I once took ill in Italy, I spent two days in hospital, near Verona, I didn't pay a penny and no health Insurance was needed as far as I remember...I had more problems with travel arrangement's than healthcare, I don't know, It's changed a lot with higher population and EU regulations. I can tell you one thing for sure, it doesn't matter which Government is in charge, there will never be enough money or resources-ever, and it's future will be decided by a faceless non elected European Judge, so I wouldn't worry.

I think you may be correct that some EU countries reciprocate our medical care. In France however we must pay ?20 just to visit a doctor and in some parts of France they are refusing free treatment to Brits, I heard. There is usually a large excess on BUPA typically ?500 which keeps the premium to about ?100 per month. So they cant lose. This is what I was saying in my other post, that Political Correctness blinds and cripples both parties from having any imagination as far as dealing with the NHS is concerned. New Labours answer is always to squander and build a massive over paid beurocracy and the Tories have to hack it all back within the rigidity of thir own dogma. Why can't those who wish, contribute more for their NHS treatment and get better service in return? It would be better than giving it to the private insurance sheisters. Also instead of stupid ID cards give all UK citizens and NHS ID cards. If you dont have one then you contribute in proportion to what your Country affords us in return, for free treatment. So for example, US citizens with no insurance would have to pay 100% and maybe Italians if they are treating us well pay nothing.

PS writing on a Kindle is a nightmare but u get a basic but FREE internet connection Worldwide!

"PS writing on a Kindle is a nightmare but u get a basic but FREE internet connection Worldwide!"

You tightarse, careful you don't trip and fall on that beach Poroit, otherwise you'll have no money left to play bingo !drink!

Dont forget our homegrown problems! youre a dirty junkie no problem we will keep you in methadone or subbies which of course you can sell/use as well as your tipple of choice and then when you get all the associated health probs get loads of treatemtn for them and of course incap/DLA! some goes for alcholholics as well.

"I think you mean the British.You ignorant fool".

The original reference was to "English couple". Hence the reply.

Cheers
D

The part you are playing is very tedious.

Try to play a more interesting part when you are on the Interweb.

Cheers
D