Looking to emigrate to country with cheap healthcare

74jax

jimpwarsop said:

Minor operation ? Pay private here.

Use the money you inherited.

That's why I asked how much it is private. The OP hadn't come back yet, but moving abroad is obviously a huge financial decision, so I guessing the op has looked at every option.

If they could say how much the op is private, then we can suggest abroad options, but at the moment what we suggest could be more than going private. 

tightauldgit

UKNeil said:

Hi,

Due to the collapse of the NHS and being nearly 2 years on an NHS waiting list I am looking for suggestions of countries to emigrate to that have good reasonably priced healthcare. Any suggestions welcome. Its hopefully only a minor operation but one that might re-occur. I absolutely love my country and will be devastated to leave it but I can no longer live in a country where i am unable to work due to lack of healthcare.

This seems like a complete over-reaction to a specific issue. 

If you just want to have the op done you can get it done privately here or abroad. You don't need to emigrate. I'm sure if you researched it you would be able to get the op done somewhere like Thailand or the Philippines at a reasonable price but I can't vouch for the standard of care. Health tourism is a thing now so there should be information readily available online depending on what you need. 

If you think that the NHS is 'collapsed' then wait to you see the state of some other country's healthcare. 

As for 'not being able to work' here in the UK, you probably won't be able to work overseas either but for different reasons. Unless you are fluent in the local language and have the right to work then you are going to be in difficulty. And emigrant visas generally aren't easy to come by for someone without any family connection to the country and/or employment/large amounts of spare cash. 

jimpwarsop

74jax said:

jimpwarsop said:

Minor operation ? Pay private here.

Use the money you inherited.

That's why I asked how much it is private. The OP hadn't come back yet, but moving abroad is obviously a huge financial decision, so I guessing the op has looked at every option.

If they could say how much the op is private, then we can suggest abroad options, but at the moment what we suggest could be more than going private. 

I think the OP is one of those people disenchanted with the UK and fancies the grass must be greener.

I wish him/her lots of luck.

WillowCat

I travelled to Cairo to have a much needed gallbladder operation which the NHS failed to schedule.  It was seriously affecting my quality of life and I'd been trying to get it extracted for over 5 years.  The cost was a small fraction of the cost of going private here, and having done it I wouldn't hesitate to travel back for another procedure.  However moving abroad to access healthcare seems a step too far unless you were actually wanting to move anyway.

elsien

With a likely presumption that while our own country limits immigration numbers and sets uo a number of hoops for prospective immigrants to jump through, we should expect other countries to welcome us with open arms?

tightauldgit

elsien said:

With a likely presumption that while our own country limits immigration numbers and sets uo a number of hoops for prospective immigrants to jump through, we should expect other countries to welcome us with open arms?

Many do of course, especially if you've got a few quid. 

Many 'expats' are also skirting immigration laws by effectively being long term tourists rather than actually formally applying for residence in their chosen countries. Seems to work for a lot of people provided you don't want to be in employment but not sure how much access you would have to e.g. healthcare in that circumstance. 

elsien

True. But I’m presuming that if the OP had lots of money they would be paying to go private instead of thinking of legging it abroad.,

sheramber

Phone around private health care facilities and ask for the cost of the op you need.

I had private treatment earlier this year and there was a choice of a set fee or pay for all the costs on an invoice.

My treatment cost £200- well worth it  to me due to long wait for NHS.

rach_k

Another vote for paying privately here.  

Often, private hospitals will put price guides on their websites, like this: https://www.parkside-hospital.co.uk/funding-your-treatment-2/price-list/ so you could see if it's achievable.  Some things are expensive but a lot of the more minor ops would cost considerably less than moving abroad, even if it needed redoing a couple of times.  

arnoldy

Most countries have better health care and outcomes than NHS. I would suggest countries like India - Indian health treatment and standards are truly excellent. You can expect a private room, excellent equipment and clinical standards and nursing care and cleanliness that are much better.