wannabeeahack wrote:
Patients could have to show two forms of identification to get some NHS care, the senior civil servant at the Department of Health has said.
Chris Wormald told a Commons committee it was a controversial move but already happened in some NHS trusts.
The NHS has "a lot further to go" in reclaiming money for treating foreign visitors, he said.
Committee chairwoman Meg Hillier raised concerns that some British residents might not have passports or other ID.
Head of the BMA council Dr Mark Porter said the discussions were a distraction given that health tourism was "such a small problem" for the NHS.
NHS Trusts in England are legally obliged to check whether patients are eligible for free non-emergency NHS treatment and to recover any costs from overseas patients.
If we had went down the road of Identity Cards when it was mooted a few years ago the problems of accessing this service for British residents and proving who we are for TAXI and private hire licensing would be zero.