Dubai: Nearly 2.7 million Emiratis and expatriate residents have been brought under the purview of the mandatory health insurance cover that completed its second phase last month, while approximately 3.2 million people will be covered by 2016 when it achieves its 100 per cent target of providing at least essential basic health cover to all Dubai residents.
Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, director of the health funding department at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) which is implementing the law, told Gulf News: “When we started with the first phase in 2014, only one million people had health insurance in Dubai, so the number has nearly trebled by the second phase completion, and by June 31, 2016, every single individual, including families and domestic help, will have basic health cover. I think this will make a big difference to standardisation of health care in not just the emirate but in the country.”
The other crucial aspect is the linking of new visas and visa renewal to the health insurance cover. So far, all the companies with above 100 employees were included in Phase 2 of its implementation and the DHA has tied up with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
Dr Al Yousuf gave an elaborate explanation of the new system at the GDRFA: “The insurance company that is covering a set of employees in a company issues an insurance certificate for each individual. There are two ways of applying for a new visa or renewal — manual or electronic. If it is manual the GDRFA asks for the insurance certificate copy to be attached with the application. In case the organisation is applying electronically for new visas or renewals, automatically a window pops up on the screen asking for the insurance certificates of all the applicants. Scanned copies have to be uploaded to complete the application process. No insurance, no new visa will be issued or renewed for the companies that fall under the purview of the second phase of the insurance law.”
Three phases
The three-phased law came into effect in 2013 with decree No 11 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Phase I of the coverage, that started in 2014, ended on October 31 last year, and covered all companies with more than 1,000 employees.
Phase II, that ended on July 31, covered companies with 100 to 999 employees.
Phase III, that has begun now and ends on June 30, 2016, will cover all companies with 100 employees or less and make insurance for spouses, dependents and domestic workers compulsory.
While it is not mandatory for companies to extend the health cover to spouses and dependents, DHA has worked out basic packages in the range of Dh625 to Dh800 for dependents, spouses and domestic workers.
The aim is to ensure complete compliance. For Emiratis in Dubai who were not covered earlier the DHA introduced the Saada health insurance scheme earlier this year. The Enaya health insurance scheme is already in place for government employees.
Complaints
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched a website ipromes.eclaimlink.ae/ for consumers to register complaints and provide feedback in case they are not getting all the services promised in their insurance package. The DHA will act on a complaint once it is registered electronically on this website.
