Health insurance for expats and visitors to become mandatory in six months: MOPH

By A Robin - October 21, 2021

Health insurance

The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that Law No. (22) of 2021 regulating health care services within the country would work on the development and regulation of the health sector in the state.

The Ministry noted that based on the new law, a mandatory health insurance system will be implemented for all expatriates and visitors to the country, which provides basic health care services to them through health care providers in government health facilities and private sector, according to the insurance coverage policy.

The provisions of the law also oblige the employer to provide health insurance for its non-Qatari workers through insurance companies registered with the Ministry of Public Health, in order to provide them with basic insurance coverage, and the same obligation applies to the recruiter to provide basic coverage for those who bring them.

The law will come into effect six months after its issuance, and during this period services will continue to be provided to all residents, and the ministry will issue all details related to the application of the law and the health insurance system in the coming days.

Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued Law no. 22 of 2021 on regulating health care services within the country yesterday, October 19. The law is effective six months after its publishing in the official gazette.

The Ministry confirmed that the health insurance system will lead to the development of the health sector and services provided to the public, by alleviating the challenges facing the health care sector resulting from the steady population growth, through the participation of the public and private sectors in providing health care services to the population, which in turn will reduce waiting time in the government health facilities in the country and provide appointments for medical consultations easily within a fast time that meets the health needs of people and at the highest level of quality.

It is worth noting that it is scheduled to start implementing the law six months after its issuance, and during this period services will continue to be provided to all residents, and the ministry will issue and publish all controls related to the application of the law and the health insurance system during the coming period.

Basic health insurance plan to be same for every expatriate, says MOPH official

Expatriates will be required to apply for health insurance in the next six months with the implementation of the Law No. 22 of 2021, a top health official has said.

Every expatriate working in Qatar would be required to cover his or her family members, Advisor to the Minister of Public Health Khaled Al Moghaiseeb has said.

“Within six months, insurance … will be required when renewing the residence permit for residents or upon entering the country in the case of visitors,” Moghaiseeb told Qatar TV on Wednesday.

He said health insurance is one of the sources of funding for health services, and it would be rolled out in accordance with a partnership between the public and private sectors.

This project has been developed so that the citizens get the health service in the fastest time, and at the same time the rest of the groups get healthcare through public-private partnership, he added.

“The target groups of health insurance are all expatriates, whether they are domestic workers, professional workers or employees,” Moghaiseeb said.

Hamad General Hospital’s Medical Director Dr Yousuf Al Maslamani said a citizen does not need to have health insurance to access the appropriate treatment for his illness. The goal of the law is that the Qatari citizens and others find the appropriate treatment in the right place, and for the Qatari citizen, it is the duty of the state to provide him with the appropriate treatment in the right place, and therefore all types of health care will be provided to the citizen in primary, secondary and specialized health services Therefore, the citizen does not need to have health insurance to access the appropriate treatment for his condition.

By implementing the decision to regulate health care services within the country, the patient will receive the appropriate treatment in the right place, and this decision will divide the community into health groups. This means that the patient will quickly reach a specialised doctor who is able to treat his disease without going through other steps.