Abu Dhabi: The Cabinet resolution on hiking health card fee from Dh300 to Dh500 does not apply for expatriates based in Abu Dhabi because residents in the emirate have mandatory health insurance paid by their employer, Gulf News has learnt.
Since 2006, expatriate residents have received health insurance cards that are linked to their residence permits. These are different from Ministry of Health cards.
More than 98 per cent of the emirate’s population is therefore covered by health insurance, according to the latest health statistics issued by the HAAD.
The Health Authority Abu Dhabi monitors compliance with the regulation and in 2011, there were 38 licensed insurers competing for members.
Residents can have either Basic insurance plans, or Enhanced insurance plans offering varied coverage for health services.
In 2011, 47 per cent of people in Abu Dhabi had Basic insurance, while 37 per cent had access to Enhanced insurance plans. The remaining 14 per cent of the total residents are Emirati, whom are covered by the Thiqa insurance plan, managed by the National Health Insurance Company (Daman).
According to a WAM report published on Wednesday, expatriate residents of all ages will have to pay a fee of Dh500 for the issuance and renewal of their health cards. The fee, which was earlier set at Dh300, enables them to receive medical treatment at government hospitals and facilities across the UAE.
The move, which is in line with the Cabinet resolution issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Ministry of Health announced that the decision will come into force on September 30, the WAM report stated.
According to the resolution, an additional fee of Dh300 will also be charged for the issue of a health card in lieu of a lost one.
Shaikh Mohammad has issued resolution No 18 for 2013 concerning the fees of health cards and curative and diagnostic services for non-nationals.
Article No 3 of the decision stipulates that the fees for curative and diagnostic services provided by the Ministry of Health will be levied on expats holding health cards. These fees will be doubled for those who do not hold ministry-issued health cards.
