Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Unified health insurance to aid Omani, expatriate families

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Muscat: The unified health insurance policy will be beneficial to expatriates with families in Oman in the light of the highly-expensive private healthcare. A large number of Omanis are also depending on the private healthcare as a result of the lengthy-wait for appointments at government clinics and hospitals.


Several medium to small private companies in Oman provide health benefits (insurance or the reimbursement of expenses) only to its employees while their families are left to fend for themselves. “The mandatory health insurance is a good initiative as private healthcare is only getting expensive. In Muscat, basic consultancy charges vary from RO3 to RO10 in private hospitals and adding to it is the high fee for laboratory tests, hospital rooms and medicines,” said Ramesh Narayanan, a senior executive who has his elderly parents depending on him.


He said the scheme will be beneficial to his Omani colleagues as well. “Currently, they even lose working days to meet with doctor appointments in government hospitals. Depending on the private sector is difficult as both treatment and medicines are expensive,” he commented.


Of all patients’ visits to private sector clinics and hospitals, Omanis account for 50.6 per cent. These figures indicate that more Omanis depend on private clinics despite the guaranteed free treatment in government hospitals.


Bader al Hinai, PRO with a forwarding company, welcomes the mandatory health insurance scheme. “I think it is a very important step of modern times. But my only concern is private hospitals should not charge more from insured patients, which will lead to the collapse of the entire scheme.” The government is also planning to make health insurance compulsory for all visitors to the country.


“Tourists generally tend to ignore the need for having a travel or health insurance if it is not mandatory. It is for their good and, and as such, it will be useful in the event of any eventuality,” said a senior official of a leading insurance company. The travel health insurance is not very expensive, but people, especially from emerging countries, do not take such matters seriously, he said.


“I think an equal level of commitment is important from all stakeholders - hospitals, insurance companies, employees and employers. There should be no efforts to misuse the policy which is meant for the good of all.”


According to Capital Market Authority (CMA), the Unified Health Insurance Policy (UHIP) will cover all private sector employees, expatriates and visitors to the Sultanate, and spouse of the workers and their children below the age of 21 years. The scheme guarantees minimum basic health coverage to outpatients and inpatients, emergency conditions, treatment of diseases, and the cost of medicines.


The employer is responsible for the payment of the premium and in agreement with the employee he can include added benefits for pregnancy, childbirth, dental and eye care.


 


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