DUbai, UAE:The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said yesterday that residents should lodge a complaint if any insurance company refuses to provide basic health coverage.
"It is important that they bring it to the attention of the regulator," said Dr Haidar Al Yousuf , Director of Health Funding at the DHA, in a statement to Gulf News.
The director responded to a complaint by a Gulf News reader that insurance companies had refused him cover in the basic Dh600 package, as he was a single person applying for health insurance.
When Gulf News called a couple of insurance companies, representatives said it was not economical for the companies to offer the basic package to individuals. "We are offering cover (in the basic package) to groups of individuals totalling 1,000," one representative said.
The reader had said in a letter he did not know whom to turn to for help. "I really need the health insurance to feel secure in this country. Please help," he said.
Dr Al Yousuf said that after a rigorous evaluation process, seven companies qualified as Participatory Insurers (PI) in Dubai’s mandatory health insurance scheme. They will offer cover to employees of organisations and to individuals with a salary of Dh4,000 and below.
"The premium for this service ranges between Dh600 to Dh700. The assessment for PI applications took into account the efficiency of their operational structures to ensure they are able to offer such products in volume, albeit at low margins," he said.
He pointed out that Dubai Health Insurance Law 11 of 2013 clearly states that no insurer can refuse coverage to any person who applies for insurance, no matter when they apply.
The director said that employers and sponsors are mandated to provide health insurance to all within their umbrella.
A phased time-line has been set by DHA to ensure that employers are fully prepared and ready to implement the scheme seamlessly, in accordance with the law. However, an individual may apply and buy health insurance earlier than the stipulated deadline for their respective group, he said.
An estimated 1.2 million of Dubai’s population already have health insurance coverage, and an estimated two million people will be covered over the next two years, he said.
"In time, we anticipate that the growth in demand for health insurance services will lead to a competitive market allowing for a wider choice of options for the community," said the director.
He noted that health insurance is a regulated market and strict enforcement is applied to ensure that no one is refused coverage, and that all parties involved in health insurance activities are compliant with the standards and practices stated in the Health Insurance Law.
© Gulf News
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