DUBAI // Employers will provide compulsory health insurance for every worker in Dubai under a major scheme approved on Tuesday.
The long-awaited scheme, which also covers employees’ spouses and children for as long as they live in the emirate, will come into effect next year.
It extends cover to domestic staff, and visitors to Dubai in case of an emergency.
“Health insurance is a form of security and it is very important for every individual to know that if he needs access to health care it is easily available,” said Essa Al Maidoor, director general of the Dubai Health Authority.
Valid health insurance will be a prerequisite to obtaining a residency visa.
The plan has been years in the making, originally due to be introduced four years ago, and is loosely based on the Abu Dhabi model.
Mr Al Maidoor said the Health Insurance Law was passed this week by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
“We would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and we are committed to fulfil his vision and ensure every individual knows that if he needs access to health care, it is easily accessible,” he said.
“The law is fundamental to ensure smooth delivery of basic health insurance to everyone living in the emirate, which roughly means more than 3 million people, including nationals and residents with Dubai visas.”
Mr Al Maidoor said the DHA had studied 12 of the best health insurance systems in the world.
It will take about three years for the population to be fully covered, with about a third now insured. The Government will be responsible for insuring UAE nationals.
Coverage will be rolled out in phases from next year until mid-2016, with all workers requiring at least the essential basic package.
Mr Al Maidoor said the average cost of providing the basic insurance would be about 1.5 per cent of an employee’s salary and employers would have the option to top up the basic package.
The plan to insure visitors to Dubai will be introduced in the later stages.
The law will ensure growing investment in the healthcare sector in Dubai and the UAE, and was the product of “very, very hard work” by those involved, Mr Al Maidoor said.
He said the DHA had wanted to ensure everything was ready before launching the scheme.
“Anything like this has to be done right and properly, without any negative impacts,” Mr Al Maidoor said. “Our role is to guarantee a proper, comprehensive service.”
Abu Dhabi, the only other emirate with mandatory insurance, has 98 per cent of its workers covered. Daman is the main insurer in the emirate.
All Dubai workers will be given insurance cards to replace their DHA cards, said Dr Haider Al Yousuf, director of health funding at the authority.
“For residents, the health insurance law sets forth the employer’s responsibility to secure insurance to cover the employees he sponsors,” Dr Al Yousuf said.
Only registered insurance companies with health insurance permits from the DHA would be able to provide insurance.
"This is to provide everyone with the basic right to health care in a well regulated model," Dr Al Yousuf said.
“This stems from the Government’s fundamental goal to provide happiness and security to the people of the country.”
He said the law stipulated the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders.
Failure by employers to provide insurance carries fines of between Dh500 and Dh150,000. Repeated breaches carry a maximum fine of Dh500,000.
Under the DHA’s original plan, employers would pay the Government between Dh500 and Dh800 a year for each employee, who would register with an outpatient clinic for basic healthcare services.
The plan was delayed partly because of the economic downturn. A new proposal, in 2011, cut out the Government, requiring companies to buy private health insurance for their staff.
As in Abu Dhabi, Dubai is operating an online clearing house for every claim.
jbell@thenational.ae
FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
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Company%20Profile
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Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Anna and the Apocalypse
Director: John McPhail
Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton
Three stars
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Company%20Profile
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
Company%20Profile
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Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
Playing records of the top 10 in 2017
How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season
1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)
2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)
3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)
4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)
5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)
6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)
7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)
8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)
9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)
10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh