The UK government is set to clamp down on free access for some expats to local health care.
As part of its cost-savings initiatives, the UK may end the facility which allows UK expats under the state retirement age and not in employment to obtain free treatment in a number of their European countries of residence.
The change is likely to take place on April 1, 2014 according to the Department of Health.
If implemented, the NHS will no longer reimburse another country in Europe for the cost of health care for British expats under pensionable age who do not qualify through employment.
Until now, many such expats are covered by completing Social Security residual form S1 prior to departure from the UK. Claimants should have made National Insurance contributions for the previous three years in order to qualify for up to two and a half years’ of free health care.
Anyone already in possession of S1 will not lose access immediately, but may be obliged to buy private insurance once their qualifying period ends.
It appears this will be the case in both France and Spain which have both blocked people having access to their health systems without having contributed to it.
There is now only a brief opportunity for British citizens to apply for S1 status for cover up until 2016.
The changes will not affect people over state retirement age or EU citizens seeking emergency care through the EHIC – European Health Insurance Card.
The curtailment of free access comes as part of an efficiency review. A Health Department spokesperson said: “No other European state offers an equivalent to the residual S1” which was not enforceable by EU law.
"We are continuing to work through the operational implications of the change and will make a further announcement once this work has been completed."
