Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is urging sponsors who have not yet provided their employees and dependents with mandatory health insurance to complete the process as soon as possible.

The last and final phase in the three-year rollout ended on July 31, however DHA extended the issuance of penalties on individuals until December 31, 2016. Penalties are already in place for those companies who fall into the earlier roll out phases (phase 1 and 2) and have not complied with the deadline of the phase.

Presently, approximately 88 per cent of the population with Dubai visas have mandatory health insurance. “Those who have not complied with the law are already in violation and the penalties on individuals with begin after the year ends. However, we urge the public not to wait until the last day,” said Dr Haider Al Yousuf, director of Health Funding at the DHA.

DHA has partnered with General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) so that no new visa will be issued or an existing one renewed where the individual concerned does not have health insurance coverage in place at the time of visa application or renewal.

“The cooperation with GDRFA is to ensure compliance but people who fall under phase three need to understand that the fines will apply after December 31, so they cannot wait until their visa renewal date unless it is earlier than December 31, because they will accumulate fines,” said Al Yousuf.

The fine is Dh 500 ($136), per employee, per month and will be applicable from January 1, 2017. “The cost of the Essential Benefit Package (EBP) itself is almost the same for the full year, so it is much cheaper to insure your employee/dependent than to pay the fine,” said Al Yousuf.

“The premium for the EBP-the bare minimum package which every sponsor has to provide his employees/dependents ranges between Dh 565 to Dh 650. Similarly, premiums for the elderly dependents were extremely expensive before the scheme and are affordable today.

The way the EBP is designed ensures that maternity, emergency, specialist referrals etc. as all covered as part of this package. For Dh 650 a year, this scheme provides patients will all their essential insurance needs and provides them an opportunity to add-on additional cover. It’s a very minimum cost which provides health security and stability to individuals.

“Out of the 46 health insurance companies that are licensed to provide insurance, nine companies have been licensed to provide the EBP for anyone who earns less than Dh4000. These nine companies cannot deny providing the EBP to anyone who falls in this category,” he added.

The DHA also provides SAADA health insurance to Emiratis and so far, more than 108,000 Emiratis have this insurance. – TradeArabia News Service