End of free healthcare for visitors to the Isle of Man

Anyone who visits the Isle of Man is going to have to pay for healthcare outside of emergency treatment following the confirmation of the end of the Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement.

A delegation of Isle of Man politicians met with British Government Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham yesterday where it was confirmed the RHA would be ending at the end of March.

The move is a decision by the British Government to end the RHA that sees all healthcare costs covered for visitors to the Isle of Man from the start of April 2010.

This means only emergency medical costs will be covered, the rest will have to be paid for at the sick or injured person’s own expense unless they are covered by travel insurance.

The situation is the same for Isle of Man residents who visit the UK.

The decision to axe the RHA means a British motorcyclist who was unlucky enough to have an accident while at the TT, Manx or during any other trip to the Isle of Man would have free emergency care but any further treatment needed outside of an Accident and Emergency department would have to be paid for unless the rider had travel insurance.

WHAT DOES THIS REALLY MEAN?

• If you make a trip to the Isle of Man and need Accident and Emergency care you will be treated as before with no charge.

• If, however, you fall ill while visiting the Isle of Man then you will have to pay for treatment and costs can quickly escalate into thousands of pounds.

• Holiday travel insurance will cover these costs in the same way it would if you went to America and became ill.

• The situation is the same for Manx residents visiting the UK.