# British citizen living in Egypt, healthcare support from British embassy?



## NAE

Hi everyone,

I am a British citizen currently living in Egypt. I have national health insurance in the UK, but I don't think that is applicable to me while I am living in Egypt.

My doctor told me the British embassy in Egypt should cover my medical treatment costs while I'm living in Egypt, but when I emailed the consular section, they could not help me.

Has anyone been put in a similar situation (or knows who I should speak to at the embassy)?

It's urgent that I find a solution soon

Thanks in advance

Nora


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## Whitedesert

Wow! the only comment I have. I can imagine the first secretary consulars face at the South African Embassy should I ask him that the SA Government should pay my medical bills! I think he will tell me to lie down, because I am obviously suffering from severe sunstroke...


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## NAE

Whitedesert said:


> Wow! the only comment I have. I can imagine the first secretary consulars face at the South African Embassy should I ask him that the SA Government should pay my medical bills! I think he will tell me to lie down, because I am obviously suffering from severe sunstroke...


 It seems other British people have done this while living in Egypt (according to my doctor)...I've never heard of this happening to be honest, that's why I am asking on this board.

Maybe the embassy in Egypt somehow links the UK national health insurance with something in Egypt? I don't know..


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## Whitedesert

Goodluck...


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## jojo

NAE said:


> It seems other British people have done this while living in Egypt (according to my doctor)...I've never heard of this happening to be honest, that's why I am asking on this board.
> 
> Maybe the embassy in Egypt somehow links the UK national health insurance with something in Egypt? I don't know..



I could be wrong but I think its only europe that has any sort of reciprocal agreement with the UKs NHS and then I believe you need to be paying into the UKs NI system

Jo xxx


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## aykalam

NAE said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am a British citizen currently living in Egypt. I have national health insurance in the UK, but I don't think that is applicable to me while I am living in Egypt.
> 
> My doctor told me the British embassy in Egypt should cover my medical treatment costs while I'm living in Egypt, but when I emailed the consular section, they could not help me.
> 
> Has anyone been put in a similar situation (or knows who I should speak to at the embassy)?
> 
> It's urgent that I find a solution soon
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Nora


I guess your doctor is Egyptian 

If you live in Egypt the Embassy will not cover medical treatment costs. 

What the Consul can and cannot do for you


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## hurghadapat

aykalam said:


> I guess your doctor is Egyptian
> 
> If you live in Egypt the Embassy will not cover medical treatment costs.
> 
> What the Consul can and cannot do for you


Once you have been out of the Uk for more than three months you are no longer entitled to free health care...unless you are over retirement age.


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## ArabianNights

Am I reading this correctly? Which land (or planet) does this Dr come from? These days, the "Doctors" we get on the NHS, in the UK sometimes really make me laugh, with some of the things they come out with. My Doctor in London could not even spell Qatar.


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## MaidenScotland

ArabianNights said:


> Am I reading this correctly? Which land (or planet) does this Dr come from? These days, the "Doctors" we get on the NHS, in the UK sometimes really make me laugh, with some of the things they come out with. My Doctor in London could not even spell Qatar.




Not sure she said it was a doctor in the UK.. I suspect it was an Egyptian doctor that told her.


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## txlstewart

ArabianNights said:


> Am I reading this correctly? Which land (or planet) does this Dr come from? These days, the "Doctors" we get on the NHS, in the UK sometimes really make me laugh, with some of the things they come out with. My Doctor in London could not even spell Qatar.


It was an Eyptian doctor. Also, I wasn't aware that the spelling of the names of countries was on any Medical exam....


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## kevinthegulf

NAE said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am a British citizen currently living in Egypt. I have national health insurance in the UK, but I don't think that is applicable to me while I am living in Egypt.
> 
> My doctor told me the British embassy in Egypt should cover my medical treatment costs while I'm living in Egypt, but when I emailed the consular section, they could not help me.
> 
> Has anyone been put in a similar situation (or knows who I should speak to at the embassy)?
> 
> It's urgent that I find a solution soon
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Nora


Nora when you leave the UK and travel outside the EU you are entitled to nothing.

The only thing you might get is your BFH (as Jim Bowen used to say- Bus Fare Home which then needs to be repaid)

You have been badly advised


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## Fiona08

NAE said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am a British citizen currently living in Egypt. I have national health insurance in the UK, but I don't think that is applicable to me while I am living in Egypt.
> 
> My doctor told me the British embassy in Egypt should cover my medical treatment costs while I'm living in Egypt, but when I emailed the consular section, they could not help me.
> 
> Has anyone been put in a similar situation (or knows who I should speak to at the embassy)?
> 
> It's urgent that I find a solution soon
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Nora


Just seen this thread - I have worked for over 37 years in the medical field of work in the UK - but I have never received any treatment abroad for free! I can only repeat what has already been said is that only in Europe is there a reciprocal agreement in force and that is that you have to take your Health Card with you which you should have already got in the UK. Alternatively, maybe if you took out extensive travel insurance, you may get some money back, but I doubt it. Look on the bright side, it must be a lot cheaper than say having treatment in the US or Canada!


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## NAE

Thank you everyone for your replies - yes, the information the doctor gave me did seem a little strange!


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## hhaddad

If the British system is similar to the French then you pay the medical bills and get the necessary documents to prove you were ill or had an accident then you take them to N.H.I. and try to get payment.This is how it works in France if you travel outside of Europe for a short period.

I know medical insurance may seem expensive ie BUPA but it can save you a lot of worries.

Also if you paid for your trip by VISA then you are covered by most cards for a period of 3 months.


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## MaidenScotland

hhaddad said:


> If the British system is similar to the French then you pay the medical bills and get the necessary documents to prove you were ill or had an accident then you take them to N.H.I. and try to get payment.This is how it works in France if you travel outside of Europe for a short period.
> 
> I know medical insurance may seem expensive ie BUPA but it can save you a lot of worries.
> 
> Also if you paid for your trip by VISA then you are covered by most cards for a period of 3 months.




Travel insurance bills are not paid out by the NHS.. it is to the travel insurance company that you send the bills quite simply if you are outside Europe then you are on your own medically and that is why you are always advised to take out travel insurance.


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## hhaddad

What I was saying was how it works in France traveling in Europe we have a form 111 which covers us but when traveling outside Europe we take the bills to the equivalent of the N.H.I. in France.Thats if you don't have private medical cover.


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## hhaddad

hhaddad said:


> What I was saying was how it works in France traveling in Europe we have a form 111 which covers us but when traveling outside Europe we take the bills to the equivalent of the N.H.I. in France.Thats if you don't have private medical cover.


Since the quoted post I've checked out NHS Choices - Your health, your choices and it seems that in Egypt your not covered at all .


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## MaidenScotland

hhaddad said:


> Since the quoted post I've checked out NHS Choices - Your health, your choices and it seems that in Egypt your not covered at all .




Which is what we said in the beginning hence the reason to have private medical cover or at least travel insurance and of course you must say if you are going to be doing a dangerous sport ie, skiing, diving, mountain climbing as they will not pay out if you try and claim for an accident which you are not covered for.


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