Committee submits final health insurance report

Once approved, the new funding mechanism will be administered by the Dubai Health Authority with the continued support of the professionals who advised the HIC.

Speaking on the receipt of the report, Ahmed Bin Byat, Secretary-General of the Executive Council, said, “This has been a very intense process involving some of the best experts from around the world, the region and in Dubai. The funding mechanism will identify the best practice for the benefit of everyone living and working in as well as visiting Dubai.”

Qadi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director-General of DHA, said, “We have listened to everyone we spoke with as part of the consultation and engagement programme and this has helped formulate the final proposals. Full details will be revealed once the Executive Council approved the report.

“We know that a new funding programme cannot be introduced overnight. If approved, the proposals will be implemented in phases. A formal announcement on how we will take this forward will be made next year.”

During the consultation and engagement programme, the committee held wide-scale discussions with medical establishments, employers, representatives of business and social groups across Dubai, over 40 of the biggest insurance companies based in the Middle East and consulted healthcare experts in over 10 countries, and created the international advisory Think Tank comprising five of the world’s leading healthcare economists.

The Think Tank will now consider the report before providing its own independent opinions on the proposals. The Executive Council will then review the recommendations prior to enacting a law incorporating them in 2008.