Health tourists make good villains

It is easy for the press and government to whip up reports blaming so-called health tourism of visitors and migrants, for a multitude of sins of the NHS.But then it is always asier to blame someone who cannot fight back than an organization that my be more responsible but has political clout.

Doctors of the World UK has developed some myth busters on health tourism

Health tourism is where people from other countries come to the UK for free NHS care and leave shortly after receiving it, costing us all lots of money.

"But there is absolutely no evidence that happening on a significant scale. At our clinic in East London, we have interviewed migrant patients for the past seven years and found only 1.6% left their country for health reasons. Most migrated to the UK find work or education or escape persecution."

Health tourism is not one way

"A January 2013 study in the British Medical Journal found that there are in fact more UK residents who travel abroad for medical treatment than there are international patients who travel to the UK to access treatment (in the NHS and privately)."

Health tourism is costing the UK £billions

"Not at all. Estimates vary, but NHS figures suggest the amount lost providing care for foreign nationals in 2012/2013 was £12 million, just 0.01% of the total £108.9 billion NHS budget for the same period. This should also be seen in the context of the £18 billion overseas visitors spend in the UK each year and £3 billion they pay in taxes. Additionally, migrants to the UK contribute £16.3 billion to the UK economy (1.02% of GDP), according to the OECD. And all migrants, working or not, contribute to the health service by paying VAT."

The NHS is over-generous compared to other European countries

"No. The UK is far from unique in offering healthcare to undocumented migrants with many countries in Europe offering comparable or better care. In France and Belgium, migrants have free access to essential primary and secondary healthcare with medical providers getting reimbursed for treatment. In Portugal, undocumented migrants have full access to healthcare once they have stayed over 90 days."

There is no harm in charging migrants for the NHS

"Frustratingly, the NHS proposed changes would be costly to put in place and would endanger people's health needlessly. Early detection of illness by GPs is the cheapest way of minimizing costs as well as ensuring health conditions can be managed and maintained. If not treated early, patients have a higher chance of presenting at A&E, which costs the NHS three times as much as GP visits. The current system in which visiting a GP is free for anyone who is ordinarily resident regardless of their status or ability to pay makes the most sense, in terms of both economics and individual and community well-being."

We should not provide healthcare to immigrants unable to pay

"Offering care regardless of immigration status or ability to pay is part of the NHS constitution. As Aneurin Bevan, the Minister for Health when the NHS was introduced wrote in 1952."

It will not affect British citizens

"How does a GP or hospital distinguish a visitor from anybody else who is legally resident or even born here? Britain is multicultural and multiethnic -so colour is no guide. The only solution is for all British citizens to carry means of identification everywhere at all times to prove that they are not visitors; an ID card.

It would not be much work for GPs or hospitals

"Healthcare professionals should not have to act as immigration officials and should be allowed to focus on delivering medical care. The admin involved would be heavy.

Some people are exploiting the NHS

"There are already mechanisms in place to deal with individuals who exploit the system. For instance, if debts are run up and the person has left the country, the UKBA will not let them re-enter the UK without paying up."

In short, the claims being made about health tourism are often wildly exaggerated and politically driven.

Health insurance news: 24 July 2013