Threat to healthcare NEW MOVES aimed at curbing NHS spending could cut health care provided to expats living in Spain claim worried residents. They include axing UK support for people living in European Economic Area (EEA) countries after taking early retirement and slashing health spending on expat pensioners. Britain’s Department of Health has put forward a series of money-saving proposals in a complex consultation document – but a European-based protest group is angry expats using the system have been left out. It was only by “rare chance” campaign group Votes For Expat Brits discovered the existence of the document earlier this month. It was issued in July – and the closing date for comments was at the end of August. And it has triggered a storm of protest as the group maintains it is another example of why expats need representation in Westminster and a vote over the current 15 year rule. The proposed steps are set out in a Government Green Paper: ‘Sustaining services, ensuring fairness - a consultation on migrant access and their financial contribution to NHS provision in England.’ At present people taking early retirement can receive UK funded healthcare for up to 30 months depending on National Insurance contributions – a useful buffer before reaching pensionable age or having to take out private insurance. However, one proposal would scrap the ‘S1 European Health Form’ and with it this system of accessing healthcare. PENSIONERS Britain also pays for its pensioners living in Europe. Another cost-cutting proposal is to reduce this spending by 5% - but the Government will allow people to return to the UK for certain ‘planned’ treatment. In 2011/12, Britain paid Spain 237 million Euros to Spain to cover its commitments under the European Health Insurance Card, which allows travels to receive emergency treatment, and those entitled to UK funded healthcare. It included paying 4,267€ for every pensioner registered for healthcare, regardless of whether they saw a doctor or not - or received treatment worth hundreds of thousands. This week new UK research revealed migrants, overseas visitors, and so-called ‘health tourists’ cost the NHS up to £2 billion a year – yet only 16% was clawed back. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has pledged to reduce this by £500 million a year. Some £260 million was incurred by citizens of the EEA travelling to the UK and in theory the NHS is able to recoup these costs, and UK expats added another £94 million. Arguably expats are not ‘foreigners’. Campaigner Peter Johnson, who lives in Zujar in Granada, said the health costs of UK pensioners in Europe was under scrutiny as the Government looked to make savings. “This smacks of how crap we are at recovering costs from other EU countries, we don’t charge people who should be charged, so we will punish our state pensioners,” he told RTN. “It is the usual sledgehammer to crack a nut syndrome. GOLD PLATE “This has all been caused by civil servants in the UK gold plating EU regulations with regard to healthcare, welfare and housing. As usual it will be the pensioners who will pay the price – albeit that the current generation of pensioners contributed the most in NI contributions.” And he said all UK expats needed a voice. “I am passionate that we should have parliamentary representation via our own dedicated MPs, as the French, Italian and Greeks do, never mind keeping our vote beyond the 15 year rule.” Margaret Hales, a leading member of the campaign who lives on the Costa Blanca, said the health Green Paper’s consultation period was during August, a time when people were on holiday. “Was this just stupid or deliberate? Either way, we have yet again been excluded from any input. Perhaps we do not exist in their minds?” she said. “It was only by chance that one of my colleagues found out about these proposals. Is that a way to run a consultation about proposals which will affect everyone of us?” Margaret agreed a “sensible system” was needed for visitors to the UK and their right to healthcare but a government purporting to be open and accessible was denying those affected by proposals to make their case. “Hypocrisy reigns!” And she concluded: “British citizens living abroad are ignored. We have no-one to speak on our behalf. My colleagues have written to such public figures as Dennis Skinner and Boris Johnson and even the Queen in the hope of getting a voice in Parliament – or indeed in British society.” For more information visit votes-for-expat-brits and sign the petition epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/55085
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:45:41 +0000
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