£150 NHS student visa charge starts in April
Imperial College Union previously campaigned against charge
Despite complaints from many quarters, the Government will be implementing its previously announced plans to charge non-EU nationals (including students) for access to NHS services.
The proposals were initially announced as part of the Immigration Bill in October 2013.
Imperial College Union last year passed a paper officially opposing this proposal in the Immigration Bill. The paper, as voted on by Council, also instructed the Union to lobby College to “ensure measures are in place to mitigate the effect of this Bill”.
Starting in April, foreign nationals applying for, or extending, a visa for longer than 6 months will be required to pay a surcharge of £200 for NHS access, on top of existing visa charges. However a discount of £50 is available to students, and access is also included for dependents of visa applicants.
In addition to the surcharge, the Government has also instructed NHS trusts to reclaim up to 150% of the cost of a hospital procedure from patients outside the EU, with NHS trusts liable for a fine if they do not take measures to retrieve these charges from patients.
EU nationals will also be charged 125% of the cost of NHS hospital procedures, although patients will not be liable for these charges as such treatment is covered under the European healthcare insurance scheme, using an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). However, under this new policy, GP appointments will remain free of charge.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has introduced these premiums over the normal cost of the hospital procedure in order to incentivise NHS trusts to recoup the money. In a speech at a lunch last year, Hunt said, “I have no problem [...] with foreigners using our NHS, as long as they contribute to it either through taxes or through paying charges. We need to be much better at collecting that revenue.”
British Medical Association Council chairman, Dr. Mark Porter, said on the policy: "Anyone accessing NHS services should be eligible to do so but a doctor's duty is to treat the patient that's in front on them, not to act as border guard.”
