While the NHS has its problems, it certainly beats no NHS at all, and some British expats get a nasty shock when they try to obtain dental care or get help with a minor medical complaint overseas. The cost of care varies dramatically from country to country, but it can be staggeringly expensive in some places. The USA is the classic example. Medical care, either routine or emergency, can leave both American citizens and expats in serious debt if it’s not covered by a health insurance policy.
A fractured lower leg bone could easily set an expat back £6000 or more- and that’s for a relatively minor break with no complications, limited hospital stay, and no ongoing care from a physiotherapist. If not paid by an international health insurance provider, that amount would make a dent in even the most robust personal bank account. That great wage offered by an American company may not look so wonderful to someone faced with a medical bill of that size.
Employers sending their staff to other countries (or recruiting them from overseas) should also make sure provisions are made for expat health insurance. International workers are not usually given the same level of protection from medical costs as citizens. Even in countries like the UK where universal health care is well established, free treatment is not always readily available to everyone who happens to be in the country. Special arrangements do need to be made for expats, either in the UK or from the UK.