Expats told: NHS won’t treat you, get insurance

BRITISH nationals living in EU countries who fall ill after a No Deal Brexit will be forced to pay for their own treatment, the Government’s ‘ doomsday committee’ has warned.

Ministers were told last week that UK citizens should be urgently advised to take out health insurance if they are resident in European countries. With just six weeks to go until Brexit Day, Health Secretary Matt Hancock is frantically trying to seal a series of reciprocal arrangements with countries such as Spain and France to cover the medical bills of citizens living abroad. But as things stand, British nationals will not be covered for the cost of treating conditions such as cancer diagnosed after March 29. Nor will they be allowed to fly back and have treatment on the NHS if they are deemed resident in another country.

But if a Briton is living in an EU country and already being treated for a condition such as cancer, the EU government will continue to pay for the treatment. The 21-mem- ber EU exit and trade (preparedness) ‘doomsday’ committee was established by Theresa May ‘ to streamline the process to oversee the delivery of plans for an orderly exit from the EU’.

It includes all secretaries of state for departments involved in Brexit planning, as well as Chief Whip Julian Smith and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. A Health Depart- ment spokeswoman said: ‘Our priority is to ensure UK nationals living or working in the EU can continue to access the healthcare they need as we exit the EU.

‘ The Government i s working closely with countries, including Spain and France, to make sure patients can continue to access healthcare, whatever t he outcome.’