PATIENTS NOT PASSPORTS: Migrants Access to Healthcare During the Coronavirus Crisis | June 2020 2. The coronavirus exemptions from charging are not working In response to the coronavirus crisis, the Government has made a number of minor changes and adaptations to the NHS Charging Regulations and accompanying information for patients. On 29th January 2020, Covid-19 was added to the list of conditions exempt from charging, meaning treatment and investigations relating to it are free for all. The DHSC issued translated advice for migrants about their entitlement to access healthcare during the crisis, but these resources were not made available until late April 2020, a month after lockdown began, and almost two months after the first coronavirus infections were identified in the UK.12 Prior to this, the government had been relying on translated resources provided by civil society organisations, in particular by Doctors of the World.13 Our survey findings clearly demonstrate that these attempts by the government to mitigate the deterrent effect of the Hostile Environment during coronavirus are inadequate. Information is not adequately publicised, compound illnesses identified during a screening for coronavirus are still chargeable and charging exemptions alone are not enough to undo the damage of a decade of Hostile Environment policies. 2.1 Inadequate communication of coronavirus exemption While treatment for coronavirus and other communicable diseases is exempt from charging, few respondents (20%) agree that migrants are aware of this exemption (Figure 3). Most of those responding to the survey (56%) have not seen any information from public bodies raising awareness of migrants’ rights to healthcare during the coronavirus crisis (Figure 4). Fewer still (9%) think that information about charging exemptions is reaching all sections of their communities in an accessible format (Figure 5). Respondents point out that information about the exemption of Covid-19 had not been circulated adequately. Indeed, many caseworkers themselves do not know that it is exempt, and as such, expected that their members would also be unaware of the changes. I did not know this so I imagine my clients don’t.” I don’t think [the exemption] has been clearly explained or advertised at all.” 16