Interesting dilemna:
"UP to £500million a year spent by the [MVNHS©] on treating migrants is to be clawed back in a new crackdown on welfare tourism."
Seems that our Cousins across the Pond are facing some of the same challenges we are. That is, a shortage of qualified health care providers (an obvious result of nationalized health care) has prompted a lot of Britons to seek appropriate care elsewhere. They in turn count on that government-run scheme to help pay for their care, this further driving up the system's costs:
"At present, the Government pays more than £800million [$1.3 Billion] a year to cover the cost of Britons receiving healthcare abroad"
That's a lot of health care dollars, er, pounds sterling going out the door.
And there's a twist:
While the Brits are paying out that huge chunk of change to other countries, they receive "only £29million a year back from EU and associated countries for treating overseas visitors." That's about 3.5% of what the Much Vaunted National Health System© is sending to those countries.
But how to turn that around?
Well, money talks:
"The Government yesterday unveiled an initial scheme designed to reward health trusts that reclaim payments for caring for EU patients."
Under this new bonus system, the providers themselves share in the bounty - that's a powerful incentive:
"If a hospital reclaims £100 spent on an an overseas patient it will receive a total of £125"
Wait a second, though. Where's that extra £25 coming from?
Oh:
"... with the extra coming from the Government."
Of course.
"UP to £500million a year spent by the [MVNHS©] on treating migrants is to be clawed back in a new crackdown on welfare tourism."
Seems that our Cousins across the Pond are facing some of the same challenges we are. That is, a shortage of qualified health care providers (an obvious result of nationalized health care) has prompted a lot of Britons to seek appropriate care elsewhere. They in turn count on that government-run scheme to help pay for their care, this further driving up the system's costs:
"At present, the Government pays more than £800million [$1.3 Billion] a year to cover the cost of Britons receiving healthcare abroad"
That's a lot of health care dollars, er, pounds sterling going out the door.
And there's a twist:
While the Brits are paying out that huge chunk of change to other countries, they receive "only £29million a year back from EU and associated countries for treating overseas visitors." That's about 3.5% of what the Much Vaunted National Health System© is sending to those countries.
But how to turn that around?
Well, money talks:
"The Government yesterday unveiled an initial scheme designed to reward health trusts that reclaim payments for caring for EU patients."
Under this new bonus system, the providers themselves share in the bounty - that's a powerful incentive:
"If a hospital reclaims £100 spent on an an overseas patient it will receive a total of £125"
Wait a second, though. Where's that extra £25 coming from?
Oh:
"... with the extra coming from the Government."
Of course.
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