Dubai: The days of free health coverage for UAE nationals may be numbered, as the current federal insurance draft law does not specify who is responsible for paying the premium.
Presently, UAE nationals receive free medical care from public hospitals and medical institutions.
Abdullah Al Ahmadi, director of finance and administration department at the ministry and one of the officials involved in drafting the law, told Gulf News that the draft law pertains to UAE nationals and residents alike.
"The draft law just states that every resident of the UAE must have insurance coverage," he said.
"Who will pay is another issue whether the government should pay for nationals, or whether they have to pay, or it's subsidised," he added.
He said the draft, which is under negotiation at the Ministry of Justice, did not specify whether employers would be responsible for paying the premium of the insurance, either.
When asked if deducting salaries was one method employers might use to pay for the premium, Al Ahmadi said it was a possibility. "It is one way for big companies that have a payroll system. It will be like other countries, where people pay for healthcare through taxes," he said.
Other ministries' help
However, he did not rule out that specifics detailing the parties responsible for the premium and the payment methods would be added to the draft law at a later stage, saying that the final details would only be known after the Cabinet approves the law and the president ratifies it.
Al Ahmadi also said that Health Ministry officials expected other ministries to come up with laws that will cover the gap, such as a law from the Labour Ministry detailing whether employers should be responsible for footing the insurance bill.
The UAE is likely to implement the national health insurance later this year, after Abu Dhabi implements its health insurance plan in July.
Blueprint
The national health insurance plan mirrors the Abu Dhabi insurance plan for the most part, according to health officials.
Dr Saeed Abdullah Ishaq, director of central quality and development department at the ministry and based in Abu Dhabi, said under the Abu Dhabi plan, employers are required by law to pay for their employees' health insurance coverage, according to four schemes. The four schemes include basic care for emergencies, access to all healthcare services and international coverage during travel.
