| answer text |
<p>It is not possible to provide data of an estimate of the cost to the National Health
Service of treating non-European Union citizens during the year 2015-16 as patient
nationality is not reported by NHS provider trusts.</p><p><br> An independent report
by prederi, entitled <em>Quantitative Assessment of Visitor and Migrant Use of the
NHS in England: Exploring the Data </em>was commissioned by the Department to better
understand the impact of treating visitors and migrants and was published on 22 October
2013. A copy of this report is attached</p><p><br> The report estimated the gross
value of NHS-funded healthcare provided to non-European Economic Area (EEA) visitors
and temporary migrants was approximately £1.4 billion per year.</p><p><br> The Department
has been collecting data on the amounts recovered from patients subject to the National
Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 that have been directly
charged for their treatment. These relate to invoices raised in current and previous
years.</p><p> </p><p>Figures for financial year 2015-2016 are shown in the table below:</p><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Income recognised this year</p></td><td><p>Cash payments
received in-year (relating to invoices raised in current and previous years) 2015-16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£
Millions</p></td><td><p>£ Millions</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>NHS Trusts</p></td><td><p>30.6</p></td><td><p>13.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>NHS
Foundation Trusts</p></td><td><p>38.6</p></td><td><p>16.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>69.2</p></td><td><p>29.3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>
Source: NHS Trust and NHS Foundation Trust Annual Accounts 2015/16</p><p> </p><p>We
do not recover costs directly from patients covered by the terms of the reciprocal
healthcare agreements that the United Kingdom has with certain non-EEA countries.
The terms of the reciprocal healthcare agreements allow for each country to absorb
the cost of providing immediately necessary and urgent care provided to visitors between
those countries.</p><p><br> Under the terms of the Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004, other EEA member states
and Switzerland reimburse the UK for healthcare treatment provided to the citizens
for whom they are responsible. Reimbursement is contingent on the NHS frontline identifying
patients for whom we can recover costs and reporting the necessary information.</p><p>
</p><p>All EEA countries, including the UK, have a legal obligation to pay agreed
claims relating to healthcare treatment provided. Once both sides are satisfied that
such claims are accurate, they are paid in full.</p><p> </p><p>In October 2014, the
Department introduced a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) incentive, meaning NHS
provider trusts would be paid an additional 25% of all EHIC activity they correctly
record. This has led to a significant improvement in collection of EHICs as shown
in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>October 2013-
September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014- September 2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>European
Health Insurance Card (Volumes)</p></td><td><p>6,140</p></td><td><p>12,611</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>European
Health Insurance Card (Amounts)</p></td><td><p>£9.1 million</p></td><td><p>£17.6 million</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>
Source: Department of Work and Pensions Overseas Healthcare Team.</p>
|
|
