Dubai: Across the Gulf Cooporation Council (GCC) region, compulsory health schemes are now the norm. Bahrain has compulsory health insurance scheme in place for nationals since 2003, and expatriates since 2013.
While Kuwait has a compulsory scheme for expatriates since 2000,Saudi Arabia has compulsory health cover for all foreign workers and their dependents since 2005 in the private sector, rolled out in stages by the number of employees up to 2008.
In the UAE health insurance is compulsory in Abu Dhabi for all employees since 2005 and is regulated by the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD). Qatar will have mandatory health cover for all expatriates by the end of 2014 while a social health insurance scheme covers nationals.
Although Oman has no compulsory medical insurance there are rules that insist that all companies employing more than 50 people must offer health services.
Analysts expect that other UAE emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain will eventually introduce compulsory insurance schemes in line with Dubai at an indeterminate time. If they do not, then it is feasible that employers could choose to relocate staff residences to avoid the cost of compulsory covers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
