The U.K. Health Care System

Who is covered?

Coverage is universal. All those "ordinarily resident" in England are automatically entitled to health care that is largely free at the point of use through the National Health Service. Only treatment in an emergency department and for certain infectious diseases is free to people not ordinarily resident, such as visitors or illegal immigrants. Most private hospital care—largely for elective conditions—is financed through supplementary private voluntary health insurance.

For more information, read a Commonwealth profile of the U.K. health care system.