Health care time limits for UK residents visiting Europe may be extended

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Time restrictions on eligibility to NHS care for UK residents visiting european countries may be extended.

Currently, British residents may spend up to three months in other European countries and still retain their right to free NHS health care.  It has been proposed that the time limit be extended to six months.

This would be of great benefit to a large number of expatriates that divide their time between the UK and homes in Europe.

Under the current rules, if you spend more than three months out of the UK your automatic entitlement to free health care ceases.  To regain the entitlement, you would need to prove that you have returned to the UK permanently.  Emergency treatment for sudden illness and accidents is still available free of charge after the three month period.

If you are entitled to a UK state pension, then you are also entitled to free health care when visiting the UK, but this does not apply to pre-planned treatment.

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Thanks to Guide2Cyprus for this story.