Revealed, prices of hospital care for NHS health tourists

THE price list for NHS health tourists from outside Europe has been published in full – with bills for some treatments running to six figures.

Health service bosses have launched a crackdown on health tourism and are sending ‘hit squads’ of experts to help trusts recoup cash owed to them.

Hospital managers are being told to demand payment up front, except in cases of emergency, for treatment of patients not entitled to free NHS care.

An intensive care ‘package’ can cost a foreign visitor up to £144,000, and there are many operations that lead to five-figure charges.

NHS Improvement, which is responsible for controlling costs, said NHS trusts should be claiming back around £167million in upfront charges for those ineligible for free care.

But only around £113million a year is being recovered, leaving trusts paying out around £50million more than they should.

Most of the gap is found in the 50 trusts now being targeted by specialists in ‘cost recovery’. Last October, rules came into force making it legally binding for hospitals to invoice overseas patients – and ensure the bill is paid where possible – before treatment starts.

The price list for the year 2018 to 2019 includes a birth package of antenatal care, delivery and postnatal care totalling £6,994.

Breast surgery will cost £4,220, planned transplant surgery £4,107, brain surgery £8,296 and adult heart surgery £13,801.

Cancer treatment will lead to a £14,003 bill and spinal injuries to one of £10,414, while the charge for ‘general surgery’ is put at £4,365.

Operations on children can be very expensive. Child heart surgery costs £19,086, while a brain operation on a child is £12,329.

There is a separate price list a third lower for patients from inside the European Economic Area, although in practice most should be covered by the European Health Insurance Card and other reciprocal schemes, at least until Brexit. GP care remains free, as does emergency care in A&E.