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Focus shifts in new insurance model

DUBAI - Access to primary healthcare and treatment for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart conditions will be part of the new health insurance model being planned for Dubai, according to senior health officials.

Addressing the 7th Healthcare Insurance Forum running alongside the Arab Health Congress, a senior official from the Dubai Health Authority said the focus on preventive measures was the driving force behind the upcoming compulsory insurance model for the emirate.

“Access to primary healthcare was not enforced earlier and our focus was more on specialty care,” Dr Laila Al Jassmi, CEO, Health Policy & Strategy Sector at the authority, said while talking about the trends and experience the authority looked at before revising the existing model. She also said chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease were being looked at in the new model. “The health insurance law, which is expected this year, will give everyone access to basic healthcare,” she told the gathering in a session that discussed “New and changing healthcare regulations and their impact on the healthcare insurance industry”.

Dr Laila also said that as a regulator, the authority was looking into ways to sustain healthcare financially. “The cost of healthcare has increased globally and since we are a developed country, we have to find ways to sustain ourselves financially.

“We are also trying to develop a business industry to reduce costs in hospital-based services, similar to what is implemented in Canada.” Dr Haider Yousuf, Director of the Health Funding Department at the authority, had told Khaleej Times in an earlier interview that once rolled out, the law will mandate basic healthcare to an estimated two million people from all strata of society in Dubai.

Currently, at least 77 per cent of the Dubai population does not have any form of health insurance.

Abu Dhabi already has established a mature insurance system and the emphasis now is on quality, explained Paul Hetherington, Head Of Planning, Health Authority - Abu Dhabi (HAAD).

“Our real issue is the outcome which we are monitoring,” he said.

In comparison, Dr Altijani Hussin, Manager, Health Economics, Supreme Council of Health, Qatar, said that health indicators were being built on. “We are looking into the burden of disease and costs before deciding on a proper health insurance model,” he said.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com