21.05.18
Trusts supported to recover over £50m from overseas patients
NHS Improvement has established an overseas cost improvement programme to help trusts recover treatment costs from overseas patients.
The NHS body has identified 50 acute trusts to receive “intense support” to recover costs from overseas visitors who are not eligible for free NHS care. The 50 trusts have been selected because they have the highest number of short term migrants in their catchment area and have the potential to secure over £400,000 more per year.
Those trusts identified are expected to recover almost £44m of the potential £54m that remains to be collected.
In addition, NHS Improvement will support mental health and community trusts to ensure that they are able to implement the guidance.
The programme will help to develop best practice models, with the aims of recovering 95% of the potential cost recovery from overseas patients and reducing debt levels through increased collection of invoiced income.
It will also look to introduce further identification of European economic area patients with S2 (known as planned care), European Health Insurance Cards for emergency care, and introduce the use of “data funnelling techniques” to identify chargeable overseas patients.
Since October 2017, trusts have been required to collect payment from any chargeable patient upfront, unless in need of urgent or emergency care.
In a letter to these 50 trusts, NHS Improvement acknowledged that some trusts have made “great headway” with the collection of payments and have examples of best practice.
The Department of Health and Social Care’s Cost Recovery Support Team has already been providing support to some trusts, primarily focused on diagnostics and recommendations, whereas NHS Improvement says that the focus will now shift to supporting delivery and implementation of best practice charging methods with a defined financial opportunity.
Dr. Kathy McLean, executive medical director at NHS Improvement, explained: “With NHS finances coming under increasing pressure, it is vital that hospitals are properly supported to recover income they are entitled to.
“The Government’s policy states that the NHS should continue to be free at the point of use for people who are legally resident in the country, as well as for vulnerable groups, and that everyone should continue to have access to the urgent care they need.”
She continued: “However, hospitals in England are missing out on more than £50m every year due to failings to recover the cost of treating and caring for visitors from overseas who fall outside of this category.
“We know that many NHS trusts are meeting their legal obligations in this area already. We intend to share their best practice and work with those trusts that need the greatest support so that they can do the same.”
Top image: ljubaphoto
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