BMJ  2004;329:683-684 (18 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7467.683-b

Letter

Eligibility of non-residents for NHS treatment

Identity card experience from Slovenia is partly positive

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Health politicians in Slovenia introduced an identity health card for almost the same reasons as described in the article by Pollard and Savulescu.1 Four years later, I have to admit that this has some benefits for the healthcare providers. With a patient's valid identity card you do not ever have problems with billing patients' visits to the insurance fund, because the validity of the card is a guarantee that you will get the money.

On the other hand, a legal or human rights question arises, which should be addressed in addition to ethical questions. Is presentation of a valid card on the occasion of the visit to the practice more important than the insurance status of a cardholder? If patients cannot provide a valid card at the time of the visit they have to pay, despite having valid insurance. Such cases are rare, perhaps one in 100, but . . . [Full text of this article]

Janko Kersnik, general practitioner

Kranjska Gora, Slovenia 4280 janko.kersnik@s5.net


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Relevant Article

Eligibility of overseas visitors and people of uncertain residential status for NHS treatment
Andrew J Pollard and Julian Savulescu
BMJ 2004 329: 346-349. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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