Those who have been living and working in Dubai have long been able to enjoy a very high standard of healthcare with state of the art facilities and highly trained staff. Unfortunately they have also had to consider the cost of this healthcare, which can also be very high if you need more than an appointment with your general practitioner.
This is why many people, expats in particular, rely on private Dubai healthcare insurance to cover the cost of any consultations and treatment that they might need. Different Dubai health insurance packages cost different amounts, depending upon the level of cover and the individual insurance provider.
In recent months there have been changes in the regulations regarding healthcare insurance for expats. All employers who have foreign workers on their staff need to provide them with a health insurance policy that offers at least a minimum level of cover so that basic healthcare needs can be taken care of with no worry on the cost. The Dubai authorities are also doing a great deal to regulate the cost of private healthcare policies.
Towards the end of 2014, the authorities in Dubai took steps to help to keep the cost of living under control. Hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers now have to have any proposed price rises approved by the Dubai Health Authority before they are allowed to make any changes. The DHA will look at the proposal and consider it on a number of different grounds including inflation rates and the quality of the service that is provided by that particular establishment.
It is not the intention of the DHA to set the prices of healthcare services. Instead they just want to make sure that price rises do not get out of control. At the time of this announcement the DHS stated that even when price rise suggestions have been accepted the providers are still in a position where they need to negotiate with the various health insurers, some of which will not offer policies that cover treatment in certain institutions.
The rising healthcare costs in Dubai have long been a concern for the insurers and the news that the DHA would be regulating the costs was welcomed. Healthcare premiums had been rising rapidly in order to meet the higher charges. Healthcare providers believe that the changes will ensure that premiums rise by no more than 10% each year.
Know your policy
When you take out an international healthcare policy in Dubai there is a few things that you need to check. You should always make sure that you are familiar with the policy and that you know what it covers. The last thing that you need is to be in a situation where you require medical help only to find that your policy does not cover that particular type of treatment. This applies even if your employer has provided you with a policy. Do not assume that these are just standard policies – they are all different and will include different things.
Some employers will opt for the new mandatory basic policy, which will cover the needs of the average family but if you think that you will need additional healthcare then you may need to have another policy to top this up. The basic policy has been designed to include the mandatory benefits such as maternity cover. Most will also not cover any pre-existing conditions. It should be noted that visas will no longer be granted for Dubai if the applicant does not have proof of health insurance in place. Not all policies will cover a spouse or dependants, either, so you need to factor this into the cost as you would have to provide this insurance yourself.
Can the new regulations help me to save money?
The main point about the new regulations is that if you are an expat moving to Dubai your employer must cover the cost of your health insurance. As already mentioned, this may not cover your family too but it will save you the cost of your own insurance. The employer has to provide you with the health insurance for the whole time that you are working for them. Should the employer not provide the worker with health insurance at any time then any medical expenses must be covered by the company.
The cost of international healthcare in Dubai is something that may not actually cost you anything but if you are in a position where you need to make your own arrangements for a private insurance policy then it always pays to speak to the experts. The team at Expat Health knows that each person who needs a policy may have different requirements and will discuss your needs with you before helping you to decide on the right policy for you and your family.