Opinions differ about whether companies should take out private health insurance for migrant workers

Following government proposals for firms to take out private medical insurance (PMI) to cover migrant workers they employ, a new survey by Health Insurance magazine has found that the majority of respondents supported the move for employers to take out health insurance for migrants, to help take the strain off local public services.

With the government’s consultation on the proposal running until the end of September, people working in the UK for an employer based or registered in the UK are currently entitled to full NHS hospital treatment . However, opinions are divided on the issue.

There were concerns that employers would be able to afford to comply with such a requirement. 10 per cent of respondents poll strongly disagreed with the new proposal, disagreeing that migrants are a huge burden on the NHS .

Alistair Sclare, healthcare director at insurer Groupama Healthcare, said There is a very significant chance that more senior people coming to work in the UK already have access to PMI .

I would guess a very significant number of migrant workers work at the opposite end of the market in industries such as agriculture. I would have thought the practicalities of an agricultural company providing PMI for what are possibly seasonal migrant workers are not very likely.