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NHS Confederation - "Worst case scenario" Brexit could cost £500m a year
The Alliance has considered what might happen to patients if a satisfactory Brexit deal is not reached.
It says travel insurance for visiting Europe could become unaffordable for British citizens with existing health problems if they could no longer use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC currently entitles them (and EU citizens in the UK) to urgent/emergency care without paying up front costs for insurance. Uninsured holidaymakers or people travelling on business could also face big bills if they fall ill or have an accident requiring emergency care.
But the potential ramifications of a ‘no deal’ go much wider - an unknown proportion of the 190,000 UK pensioners currently living in the EU could have little choice but to return to the UK.
According to the Nuffield Trust if they all returned home after reciprocal healthcare arrangements stopped, then an extra 190,000 people could require hospital beds and 1,600 nurses, as well as doctors, other health professionals, and support staff.
Under the current, reciprocal arrangements, these UK citizens, have the right to receive healthcare on the same terms as the local population. If they were discontinued the NHS would have to fund their care.
It would also lead to more red tape, as the current system for EU citizens is much more streamlined than the way we manage payments and administration for people from other countries.
The Alliance points out that if British people abroad could no longer get reciprocal healthcare rights it could cost the NHS up to £500 million a year. This is based on Nuffield Trust analysis, which puts the cost of caring for everyone who could return to the UK at £1 billion a year, minus £500 million which we would no longer have to pay to European health systems under the current scheme. This does not take into account the additional income we would receive from EU citizens having to pay for NHS care.
The Alliance is calling on the Brexit negotiators on both sides to take steps to make sure that this ‘worst case scenario’ does not come about.
Niall Dickson, co-chair of the Brexit Health Alliance, said:
“Our report sets out what could happen if we were to see an end to the mutually beneficial healthcare arrangements between the UK and the EU.
“This is likely to mean not only more red tape and inconvenience for millions of Britons and Europeans, but could mean more pressure on our health and care system if many of those living elsewhere in Europe felt they had to return. What is more, EU travel could become unaffordable for British citizens with existing health problems.
“Patients stand to lose out dramatically if UK nationals travelling to and living in the EU are no longer able to benefit from free healthcare and EU citizens will also lose out by not being able to get free healthcare here.
“This is simply not acceptable. We want to see a Brexit settlement that will allow existing or similar arrangements to continue to benefit patients and those who provide their care.”
