Dubai health insurance deadline extended to March 31

Dubai - The insurance programme has been extended to Sharjah and northern emirates as well, except Abu Dhabi.

The new deadline for Dubai's mandatory health insurance has been set as March 31 for employees and their families and December 31 for visitors, according to an Executive Council Resolution issued by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, on Sunday.
Also, following a feedback from residents and policyholders, Dubai's insurance programme has been extended to Sharjah and other emirates except Abu Dhabi, which has its own health policy.
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The resolution states that fines and measures mentioned in the Executive Council Resolution No (7) of 2016 will be applied on employers and sponsors who fail to provide health insurance coverage before the mentioned dates. The Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), however, may extend these periods.
The DHA has mandated insurance companies to make sure they cover Sharjah and Northern Emirates. The recent order came into effect after the authority received feedback from policyholders. Previously, it was optional and therefore some companies did not offer insurance coverage outside Dubai, said a senior official from the DHA.
Dr Haider Al Yousuf, Director of Health Funding, said that the move is a positive one for the health insurance industry, the health sector and for policyholders.
"Many Dubai resident visa-holders live in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. This mandate ensures they have coverage in the emirate they live in so that they can access healthcare when they need it at a location that is convenient to them," he said. Majority of the insurance companies offering the Essential Benefits Plan have already upgraded their coverage to include other emirates.
Dr Al Yousuf added that it would be more cost-effective for insurance companies to provide coverage in the northern emirates.
Last month, Khaleej Times highlighted the plight of residents who said that though the premiums were high, they would have to travel to Dubai for treatment, which was not practical. Dr Al Yousuf also advised people that they should research their health insurance policy properly before opting to purchase it.
Most complaints received over the last year by the DHA's Health Funding Department pertaining to health insurance reflect a trend where people have bought a particular health policy without really understanding its exclusions and the network of health facilities it covers.
He said that there are enough options available in the market and people can top-up their essential cover. He stressed that the first step to buying insurance is to understand the policy, its inclusions and exclusions.
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"The DHA's website www.ishad.ae has the list of 50 companies, of which nine companies provide the basic package. People should educate themselves about the policy they intend to buy. The market has a good range of options and people need to select what is most suitable for them. They can get comparative quotes before they buy their health insurance.
They should research the hospitals and clinics under the network of a particular insurance company and buy cover only when they are convinced that the policy meets their needs," he said.
Premiums for basic packages range from Dh550 to Dh700 and there are always options available to top-up this basic insurance cover.
Dr Al Yousuf also reiterated that the DHA has a robust redressal system in place and that they address complaints immediately. "We request residents to lodge complaints about health insurance through proper channels. The correct way is to log on to the ishad website and lodge a complaint.
"Customer protection is a top priority for us and we take every complaint or dispute lodged with us very seriously.  In fact, 95 per cent of the disputes are resolved within three to four working days," he said.
Essam Fawzi, a resident of Sharjah, said he had already bought a policy. "Thankfully, the coverage has been extended to other emirates as this makes it easier for us to seek treatment.
At present, 98 per cent of the population in Dubai is insured.
- asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

What the resolution states

The resolution stated that the Government of Dubai is responsible for providing health insurance coverage for UAE nationals from June 1, 2015 and employers are responsible for providing health insurance coverage for expatriate employees from January 1, 2014. The resolution also obligates sponsors and guardians to provide health insurance coverage for their families and domestic workers from January 1, 2014. It stipulates that the health insurance requirements should include provision of an essential health insurance plan through the DHA's approved electronic system.

• Dubai

Asma Ali Zain

• asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com