The changes, along with other fee increases, are part of an overall plan to reduce “health tourism” and lessen the tax burden.
Britain’s government has announced the new “Health Tourism Plan”, making the migrants and international tourists legally bound to pay for emergency medical treatments.
The plans indicate that migrants and visitors to the country would have to fund emergency surgery in hospital accident and emergency departments, as well as their own minor surgery which might take place in doctors’ offices.
The changes, along with other fee increases, are part of an overall plan to reduce “health tourism” and lessen the tax burden.
Health official Frederick Curzon said Monday the financial changes are needed because “we must make sure the system is fair to the hardworking British taxpayers who fund it.”
Officials said no one would be turned away from emergency rooms but that payment would be expected.
The proposals were announced as some politicians warn that Britain’s resources are being strained by providing services to immigrants.
“Having a universal health service free at the point of use rightly makes us the envy of the world, but we must make sure the system is fair to the hard-working British taxpayers who fund it,” Health Minister Lord Howe stated.
The announcement comes a day after a government report was published, stating that more than 300 mothers to be had been stopped at Gatwick Airport as they were not allowed to fly; the majority of airlines state they will not carry women who are more than 36 weeks pregnant.
The majority of the mothers-to-be had to be taken to hospitals to give birth courtesy of the NHS.
Health tourism” has been the subject of ongoing debate in the UK, with fears heightening in the knowledge that restrictions on migrants entering the country from Romania and Bulgaria will loosen as of January 1.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that jobless immigrants would have UK government support payments taken away after six months, and that migrants would be blocked from Britain’s social housing waiting lists until they have been in the country for up to five years.