JEDDAH, 7 May 2008 — The health care committee of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) honored Bupa Middle East for its distinguished role in health care insurance for 2007 recently.

Aside from JCCI Chairman Saleh Turki, representatives of hospitals and clinics, Bupa management and clients, as well as representatives of JCCI representatives attended the ceremony.

Mutasim Alireza, president of the healthcare committee, said that the mission of the committee was to serve the health care providers in order for Jeddah to continue to be the leading city offering highest quality private sector health care in the Middle East and beyond.

As a result of the government’s strategic decision to implement the cooperative insurance scheme to the Kingdom’s entire population, it became in the providers’ interest to ensure that healthcare insurance companies abide by the highest international standards and become more of a positive force toward its stakeholders, most importantly the patient. It was in this context that the award for the best healthcare insurance company was created and is expected to be awarded annually.

Dr. Hazem Zagzoug, vice president of the health care committee and the chairperson of this award, said that 16 standards were applied to evaluate the insurance companies, including quick approvals to patient and IT system availability, approvals of emergency cases, fairness of rejections to reimbursements, etc.

Dr. Zagzoug added that a survey was conducted at all hospitals and clinics dealing with insurance companies. A sub-committee evaluated the results of the survey and declared its findings. The managing director of Bupa Middle East, Tal Nazer, received the award on behalf of his company. Nazer expressed his appreciation for the honor and added that this recognition would further motivate the company’s management to reach even higher standards in its operations and customer service. He hoped that that Bupa’s services would continue to be viewed in high regards by all its stakeholders, and most importantly the patients.