Home Health/Medicine Mandatory Health Insurance for all Expatriates and Visitors to the country

Mandatory Health Insurance for all Expatriates and Visitors to the country

239
0

Doha: The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that Law No. (22) of 2021 regulating health care services within the country would work on the development and regulation of the health sector in the state.
The Ministry noted that based on the new law, a mandatory health insurance system will be implemented for all expatriates and visitors to the country, which provides basic health care services to them through health care providers in government health facilities and private sector, according to the insurance coverage policy.
The provisions of the law also oblige the employer to provide health insurance for its non-Qatari workers through insurance companies registered with the Ministry of Public Health, in order to provide them with basic insurance coverage, and the same obligation applies to the recruiter to provide basic coverage for those who bring them.
The law will come into effect six months after its issuance, and during this period services will continue to be provided to all residents, and the ministry will issue all details related to the application of the law and the health insurance system in the coming days.
Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued Law no. 22 of 2021 on regulating health care services within the country yesterday, October 19. The law is effective six months after its publishing in the official gazette.
The Ministry confirmed that the health insurance system will lead to the development of the health sector and services provided to the public, by alleviating the challenges facing the health care sector resulting from the steady population growth, through the participation of the public and private sectors in providing health care services to the population, which in turn will reduce waiting time in the government health facilities in the country and provide appointments for medical consultations easily within a fast time that meets the health needs of people and at the highest level of quality.
It is worth noting that it is scheduled to start implementing the law six months after its issuance, and during this period services will continue to be provided to all residents, and the ministry will issue and publish all controls related to the application of the law and the health insurance system during the coming period.

The mandatory health insurance system targets all expatriates, including domestic workers, labourers and employees. Under the system, companies will provide insurance policy to their expatriate workforce and individuals for their family members.

“Every expatriate who enters or works in Qatar will be required for basic health insurance through the company they work for or provide health insurance coverage for their family members,” said Adviser to the Minister of Public Health, Khaled Al Mughaisib.

Speaking in a Qatar TV programme, he said that there will be a basic health insurance policy with deliberate amounts for all targeted groups as well as a mechanism of implementation. “The mechanisms for implementing mandatory health insurance system will be simple like requiring policy while renewing the residence permit or upon entering the country.”

He said that the mandatory health insurance will come into effect after 6 months when everyone must have insurance.

“The targeted group will apply for insurance policy through their companies during the next 6 months to local private insurance companies,” said Al Mughaisib.

He said that a basic health insurance policy will be for all groups, and then a person can take additional insurance through private companies if he needs.

To a question about monitoring the system, Al Mughaisib said: “The experience is new, we are establishing a health insurance industry, whether from the private sector that provides medical services or insurance companies and their support companies, and they will be responsible.”

“There will be many levels of monitoring within the ministry and through committees, and we have an electronic system that monitors operations on daily basis and through mechanisms to know if there is any kind of exploitation,” said Al Mughaisib.

He said that Department of Insurance and Finance at MoPH will be the supervisory body for the entire project, and that there are several levels for filing complaints, whether from individual beneficiaries, insurance companies or clinics.

Speaking at the same programme, Medical Director of Hamad General Hospital, Dr. Yousef Al Maslamani, said that one of the most important things in the decision of new insurance system is that the right patient gets the right care in the right place, so the places of care will be determined in specialised hospitals or primary care centres.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here