British Expats “Scrounging” Health Care?
Are British Expats “scrounging” health services in Spain? They are according to the media and certain doctors in the Alicante area. The doctors insist that a growing number of British expats are showing up in their operating rooms to avoid lengthy delays in the U.K.
Of course, the root of the controversy is a limited amount of funds for health care. Spanish officials insist that they are not properly compensated for the services they provide to foreign EU citizens.
I found it interesting because it makes me wonder what will happen in the U.S. if the increase in health care coverage results in extensive wait periods for procedures. Both sides of the health care debate have taken positions on this issue, and I personally feel that it is impossible to say exactly how increased coverage will impact availability. Those in the trenches say either you can or cannot compare what will happen in the U.S. to other nations’ health care systems. Frankly, it seems obvious to me it will be its own unique system, and we won’t really know what that will be until long after it is rolled out.
It would be interesting to hear from expatriates experiences on our new Global Expat Forum or in comments to this blog post!
October 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I hear stories like this on a more frequent basis. We insure Canadians who want private health insurance so they can have the freedom to see any doctor at home or have the option to visit the US for medical care.
It would be interesting to see how many U.K. citizens are displeased with the national health care program.