If you are an American with health insurance, you are already paying for other people’s free health care. When someone without insurance goes to the hospital, they raise the prices on everyone who can pay. That’s why our system is so much more expensive. The “free market” of health care in America allows people to withdraw from the market when it’s time to pay, and enter the market when they get sick. Someone’s paying that bill, and it’s suckers like me and you.
In the UK, the NHS in theory will reclaim the cost of treatment from the tourist’s travel insurance. I do know of one case where a visitor broke her arm, got treated in A&E, and was waved off when she asked about payment. It was a straightforward break that didn’t need an operation, so maybe it was more trouble than it was worth to chase up payment for some X-rays and a bit of doctor and nurse time.
I believe it depends on a) what country you’re in, and b) what country you’re from. The UK I know has reciprocal health arrangements with several other countries (all EU countries, and others)- we treat their tourists, they treat ours, but that’s by no means universal.
Emergency room treatment is free to all in the UK (cite).
So no, you’re not likely to be left to die on the street, but depending on what treatment you need, you may get a bill afterwards. This is the case even if you are a UK citizen ordinarily living overseas, on a visit back, incidently.
The bill will be a lot lower than you would expect in the US though, by all accounts.
Not at all. I like Michael Moore and don’t especially like the insurance companies. Michael Moore just happens to be wrong about that issue.
I know most of you know this stuff already but this is too good a depiction to not mention - maybe save it for another time …