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<p>The Department is working to develop and implement a comprehensive package of measures
to support the National Health Service to correctly identify patients who should be
charged for their healthcare.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have worked to encourage
better communication between secondary care providers and general practitioners (GPs)
once a chargeable patient has been identified. A toolbox for NHS Overseas Visitor
Managers was published online in September 2014 that provided support materials on
charging. This also includes template letters to enable providers to notify GPs if
one of their patients is deemed chargeable.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The NHS
cost recovery programme is also focusing on engagement with GPs and primary care providers
to help them understand the charging rules. We will also encourage better dialogue
between primary and secondary care providers to ensure a process of early identification
and appropriate charging.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Cost Recovery Team’s Implementation
Plan (published July 2014) identified several strategies for cost recovery from European
Economic Area (EEA) member states and non-EEA chargeable patients, which include:</p><p>
</p><p>- The EEA incentive – launched on 1 October 2014</p><p> </p><p>- The non-EEA
incentive and sanction – expected to go live in April 2015</p><p> </p><p>- The non-EEA
health surcharge - expected to go live in April 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As
outlined in the Government’s response to the public consultation (published December
2013), in the interest of public health, the Department has no intention of making
GP and nurse consultations in primary care chargeable for patients who would not otherwise
be eligible for free NHS treatment. This includes people who are illegally here in
the United Kingdom or on temporary visitor visas.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>
</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p>
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