RIYADH, 4 June 2008 — The Ministry of Health announced more details regarding a new compulsory health insurance scheme that will be implemented shortly for the estimated four million domestic workers in the Kingdom.
“We have already appointed 986 government-owned medical clinics, hospitals, primary health care centers and pharmacies throughout the Kingdom to treat patients who will be insured under this scheme, which is in the final stages for implementation,” Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie said.
The minister also pointed out that the program has already been approved by the Council of Ministers and it is being implemented within the framework of the Council of Health Insurance (CHI).
Explaining details of the scheme, Al-Manie said that an annual premium of SR500 would be levied on every housemaid or driver. He said that the benefits include medical treatment and the cost of repatriation of the dead body in event of death.
Al-Manie said his ministry would coordinate with the ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs in the implementation of the scheme. Employers will be required to produce medical insurance policies to renew residence permits (iqama) of their domestic workers.
Al-Manie said that the program is being implemented in pursuant of the Kingdom’s policy to provide health care services to both citizens and expatriates.
Under the plan envisaged by CHI, the health insurance scheme should cover all foreign workers and their family members in the Kingdom.
He said the ministry plans to fix a higher premium of SR1,200 for including older workers in the scheme.
The minister said medical centers approved under the new insurance scheme are expected to have professionally qualified medics, paramedics and the necessary equipment. “Institutions that violate the regulations will be severely dealt with according to the laws of the Kingdom,” Al-Manie said.
