article_snippet: It means UK is now paying out £15 for the healthcare costs of Britons who fall ill abroad for every £1 UK gets back for the NHS treatment of European visitors.
article_snippet: Both GPs and hospitals will be given incentives to identify non-British users of the NHS and payment procedures will be made easier.
article_snippet: Released following a Freedom of Information request, the latest Department of Health statistics show that in 2013/14, British taxpayers handed £749.8million to European governments to pay for the care of UK citizens abroad.
article_snippet: Under EU arrangements, UK citizens can be treated by other nations’ health services and the bill is sent back to Britain.
article_snippet: In theory, these European nations should also be billed when these European nations citizens are treated by the NHS.
article_snippet: In 2013/14, UK paid Ireland £246million for treating Britons who fell ill there.
article_snippet: A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘We want international visitors to feel welcome to use the NHS, provided international visitors pay for the NHS – just as families in UK do through families in the UK taxes.
highlights_snippet: UK now pays £15 for healthcare costs for Britons who fall ill abroad .
  