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Cash-strapped hospitals have written off £256.4 million owed by foreign patients because of failures to properly check that they were entitled to free NHS treatment. An investigation by The Mail on Sunday shows escalating debts from health tourists – who have had everything from spinal surgery to heart care and cancer treatment – is creating a growing black hole in NHS finances. In the last year alone, £44 million has been lost – a 63 per cent increase on the £26.9 million that hospitals had to write off in 2017-18. Damning findings from our research, based on an analysis of health service accounts over the past seven years and a detailed Freedom of Information request to trusts across England, reveal: Just a third of the £621 million owed by overseas visitors to hospitals has been repaid. One Nigerian patient who had planned treatment at Barts Health NHS Trust in London ran up a near £500,000 bill, and a Romanian patient owes Lewisham and Greenwi...

In a nation where cost often stands in the way of necessary treatment, ordinary citizens are mobilising resources and innovative ideas to bridge the gap. Local clinics are springing up in neighborhoods, community health insurance schemes are pooling funds to reduce treatment costs, and digital platforms are connecting patients to essential services. These initiatives reflect a commitment to mutual support and social justice. In the following guide, we explore how Nigerians are uniting to overcome obstacles and create a more equitable healthcare system for all. ALSO READ: 7 Key lessons for managing healthcare costs in Nigeria during uncertain times EXPLORE: Healthcare breakthroughs transforming wellbeing in Nigeria The commitment of Nigerian communities to improve healthcare affordability is a powerful example of resilience and collective action. By working together through innovative approaches and mutual support, communities are...

Dar es Salaam. While some health centres are grappling with delayed payments and claim rejections, leaving them unable to operate, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) asserts that it is paying valid claims on time.The health centres are complaining about delayed payments of up to six months due to accounting issues and fraud allegations, saying some claims are completely rejected.As a result, some health centre owners claim they have been forced to stop providing services to NHIF members, while others have shut their doors entirely due to operational challenges.However, NHIF's Director General, Dr Irene Isaka, dismissed these claims, telling The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi, on Thursday, 3 April 2025, that:“These claims are not true. The fund is paying valid claims on time, and no centre has been closed due to delayed payments. Centres are closing due to operational issues within the centres themselves.”Health centre owners argue that services for the elderly and chi...

At only 25 years old, Fridah Wambui is grappling with three major conditions: hypertension, kidney failure, and diabetes On top of all that, Wambui got depression, which triggered hypertension and made her lose her eyesight, and she has been blind for seven months, which has been very difficult for her Now the bill for the you lady stands at KSh 632,000 and each days she spends there sees the bill increasing and that made her call upon Kenyans of good will to hell her raise the money Nairobi: A 25-year-old woman identified as Frida has shared her 14-year struggle with diabetes that has now culminated with a disability and KSh 632,000 hospital bill. How did Wambui lose her sight? Speaking to .co.ke from her Kenyatta University Referral Hospital bed, Frudah shared that she had been admitted for three weeks and was finally discharged on March 27, 2025. "I have been suffering from diabetes for 14 years now, and recently...

Key Takeaways More Americans than ever are unable to afford health care or prescriptions. About 35% of Americans could not afford health care if they needed it Rates are even higher among Black and Hispanic Americans WEDNESDAY, April 2, 2025 (News) -- The inability to pay for health care has reached a new high in the United States, a new study says. More than one-third of Americans — an estimated 91 million people — say they couldn't afford to access quality health care if they needed it today, according to the latest West Health-Gallup Healthcare Affordability Index. “The rising trajectory in the inability to pay for healthcare is a disturbing trend that is likely to continue and even accelerate,” said Tim Lash , president of West Health Policy Center, part of a group of nonprofit organizations focused on healthcare and aging. “Policy action at both the state and federal level is urgently needed, or even more Amer...

PURWOREJO, 5.180.24.3 – Direktur RSUD RAA Tjokronegoro, Dony Prihartanto, mengomentari aksi mogok kerja yang dijalankan oleh dua dokter karena besarnya gaji untuk jasa pelayanan medis sangat rendah. Dony menyatakan bahwa aturan upah di rumah sakit tersebut berdasarkan Peraturan Bupati (Perbup) yang dikeluarkan pada tahun 2022, sedangkan dia baru menjabat sebagai pemimpin rumah sakit tersebut sejak awal tahun 2023. "Pada saat menerapkan suatu sistem remunerasi di berbagai tempat tentunya akan ada beberapa masalah yang muncul dan banyak hal yang harus disesuaikan, termasuk juga di RSUD RAA Tjokronegoro. Sejak tahun 2023 kami telah mencoba untuk memastikan bahwa pelaksanaan dari segi layanan medis dapat ditingkatkan dengan lebih baik," ungkap Dony seperti dikutip dalam siaran persnya, Rabu (19/3/2025). Terima Kasih atas upah jasa yang masih rendah tersebut. Dony tidak menyangkal bahwa protes pemogokan itu disebabkan oleh sistim penggajian untuk layanan yan...

After retiring, you could notice that several of your costs begin to drop. Without a daily work commute, your transportation expenditures may decrease. Additionally, once your house is fully paid for prior to when you retire, your housing expenses might go down as well. However, if there’s an expenditure that could go up during retirement, it would be healthcare. As we age, health problems often arise, and you might discover that your own expenses as a Medicare participant can exceed what you had previously expected. Read More: Earn up to $845 cash back this year just by changing how you pay at Costco! Learn more here. Fidelity recently released an estimation of the potential healthcare costs for an average 65-year-old retiree nowadays. This figure stands at nearly $165,000, which may come as quite a shock. Additionally, it’s important to remember that this estimate doesn’t include the expenses related to long-term care, which can be extremely high since Medicar...

Many older Americans currently rely on Medicare for their health insurance. It can seem quite challenging to envision managing healthcare during retirement without this coverage. However, one of the major misconceptions about Medicare circulating is that it comes at no cost. This could not be further from the truth in every aspect. Learn More: Claim as much as $845 in cashback this year simply by altering your payment method at Costco! Learn more here. You might encounter numerous costs as a result. Medicare participant, it's crucial to be aware of which ones to expect and ways to reduce their impact. Below are three significant expenses you should prepare for. 1. Premiums The majority of people enrolled in Medicare do not face premiums for Part A, which includes coverage for hospital stays. However, they will incur a monthly fee for Part B, covering outpatient services. For 2024, the typical monthly charge is set at $174.70. It’s important to note that...

A lot of Americans face adverse effects from healthcare costs, particularly when unpaid bills result in damaging entries on their credit records. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), approximately one in every five Americans is grappling with medical debt, which cumulatively totals around $88 billion. The AP reports that this problem affects 43 million credit records due to medical debts in collection, highlighting the persistent challenge of exorbitant healthcare costs throughout the U.S. Even though the healthcare system may be exasperating and intimidating, the Associated Press provided several tactics you could employ should you need to lower expensive medical expenses. More From GudangMovies21Vault: How Removing Medical Debts from Credit Reports Might Affect Consumers Charity Care Programs Verify whether you qualify for your hospital’s financial aid program, as this might ulti...