Charging immigrants a £200 levy to use the NHS will make the system more "fair" and "sustainable" for British taxpayers, ministers will announce today.
The Health Secretary said it was only right for immigrants to have to contribute towards the NHS, which costs taxpayers around £5,000 per family.
Under the plans, foreigners from outside the European Union applying for visas lasting more than six months will have to pay the new “health care levy” under plans to stop exploitation of the health service. They are currently entitled to free treatment.
Under the plans, foreigners from outside the European Union applying for visas lasting more than six months will have to pay the new “health care levy” under plans to stop exploitation of the health service. They are currently entitled to free treatment.
Shorter-term visitors will also face charges for their treatment. There are additional plans to make it easier for the NHS to recover the cost of treating EU nationals and to help doctors identify those eligible for treatment.
"We want to have a system that is sustainable, but also one that is fair to hardworking British families," he told ITV's Daybreak. "We pay about 5,000 a year for every family in the UK in taxes to pay for our NHS and we want to ask other people who are visiting the UK to make a fair contribution if they're not paying those taxes."
The package of immigration measures is designed to see off the growing electoral threat posed by the UK Independence Party to the Conservatives.
However, doctors have raised fears that they could be forced to act like "border guards" checking patients immigration statuses.
Today, Mr Hunt played down concerns the system will be too complicated to implement, pointing out that most other countries manage to charge immigrants for healthcare.
"Most other countries in the world have developed systems like that. I mean, you don't get prevented from being treated even in America, but what they are is much better than we are at actually checking.
"And I think that's fair to British taxpayers., I mean, we have to make sure the NHS is sustainable - in the long term we have a lot of pressures. And we really love our NHS, it's one of the things we're most proud of as a country, but it is a national health service and not an international health service."
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, is also expected to outline plans to force landlords to check the immigration status of potential tenants.
Today, Mr Hunt played down concerns the system will be too complicated to implement, pointing out that most other countries manage to charge immigrants for healthcare.
"Most other countries in the world have developed systems like that. I mean, you don't get prevented from being treated even in America, but what they are is much better than we are at actually checking.
"And I think that's fair to British taxpayers., I mean, we have to make sure the NHS is sustainable - in the long term we have a lot of pressures. And we really love our NHS, it's one of the things we're most proud of as a country, but it is a national health service and not an international health service."
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, is also expected to outline plans to force landlords to check the immigration status of potential tenants.
Initially, the Government wanted nationwide checks but the plan is thought to have been watered down to cover “high risk” tenancies.
The new schemes are designed to raise money and reduce the attractiveness of Britain to some immigrants.
According to the Department of Health, a report from 2003 found that the cost of treating foreign nationals in hospitals was up to £200 million a year.
However, official figures show that only about £33 million was spent on this last year. About two thirds of this money was recovered.
The Department of Health believes that less than half of overseas visitors are currently identified.
Ministers have pledged to introduce the new rules in an Immigration Bill in Parliament later this year.
The health care levy of “at least £200 a year” is the favoured option. However, a consultation will also consider whether private health insurance is a “viable alternative”.
Ministers will introduce “better checks” to ensure that a person’s eligibility for treatment is assessed before their first appointment with a GP.
Nobody will be refused emergency care under the proposals.
The new schemes are designed to raise money and reduce the attractiveness of Britain to some immigrants.
According to the Department of Health, a report from 2003 found that the cost of treating foreign nationals in hospitals was up to £200 million a year.
However, official figures show that only about £33 million was spent on this last year. About two thirds of this money was recovered.
The Department of Health believes that less than half of overseas visitors are currently identified.
Ministers have pledged to introduce the new rules in an Immigration Bill in Parliament later this year.
The health care levy of “at least £200 a year” is the favoured option. However, a consultation will also consider whether private health insurance is a “viable alternative”.
Ministers will introduce “better checks” to ensure that a person’s eligibility for treatment is assessed before their first appointment with a GP.
Nobody will be refused emergency care under the proposals.
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