New NHS rule requiring patients to prove residency has implications for undocumented immigrants
New NHS rule requiring patients to prove residency has implications for undocumented immigrants
The U.K.’s National Health Service provides free, universal healthcare to U.K. residents. In the past, the NHS would provide treatment without knowing patients’ residency status, but new rules put in place in October mean that clinics now must ask for identity documents up front to determine whether patients must pay for care. The most recent U.K. Department of Health statistics suggest that health tourism costs the NHS £60-£80 million a year — less than a tenth of a percent of its overall budget. But it also says those figures are difficult to assess, because it’s hard to tell who is and is not entitled to free care.
Click the audio player above to hear the full story.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
