Qatar Chamber’s Health Committee recently held a meeting to review the healthcare services law and updates of the obligatory health insurance. The Health Committee, held a meeting at the Chamber’s headquarters in Doha, was chaired by Qatar Chamber board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani, who is also chairperson of the committee.
Adviser to the Minister of Health for Insurance Affairs Khalid bin Abdulrahman al-Mughesib also participated in the meeting via video conferencing. Addressing the meeting, al-Ahmadani stressed the importance of informing the Ministry of Public Health on the private sector’s views regarding the law through the participation of the committee in the formation of the law’s executive regulations before it is issued.
The meeting also touched on the previous insurance contracts signed before the enforcement of the law and how to deal with them, in addition to the healthcare packages, prices, and dealing with emergency cases. For his part, al-Mughesib reviewed the law’s executive regulations, which is currently being prepared, as well as the most important policies and procedures that regulate the health insurance process, noting that the executive regulations will be simplified and will tackle all aspects.
Underscoring the importance of the law, al-Mughesib said it aims at preserving the interests of all parties and boosting the State’s insurance industry, as well as enhancing the public-private partnership. He also said there will be a standard contract between insurance companies and health centres and hospitals, which includes the basic principles related to the timing and mechanisms for submitting and paying claims, in addition to dispute resolution mechanisms.
The standard contract basically aims to guarantee the interests of all parties, he said, adding that its details will be announced soon. There will be one package with one instalment and will be reviewed periodically, he further said.
Citing the law, al-Mughesib also said health insurance has become mandatory for expatriates who will receive healthcare services at private facilities and the Primary Health Care Corporation.
Cases whose treatment is not available in private centres will be transferred to Hamad Medical Corporation, which will provide healthcare services mainly to Qataris, he noted, adding that a list of exempted cases will be issued in this regard.
As for emergency cases, al-Mughesib said such cases are clearly identified by the law, pointing out that the emergency case means the case which necessitates urgent treatment to save the patient’s life and that the patient will receive the urgent treatment in any health centre, which includes emergency section.
On the prices of services related to the health insurance system, he stressed that the ministry does not interfere in fixing prices between service providers and health insurance companies.
As for the current prices approved by the ministry (before the application of the health insurance system), he affirmed that they will remain the same for at least the next six months, and they will be considered after collecting sufficient information.
Al-Mughesib also pointed out that a temporary electronic platform has been developed for registration by all parties concerned with the insurance coverage, while the work is underway on the ministry’s permanent platform, stressing that a training program will be provided for all parties to help them how to use the platform. All medical facilities are also obligated to contract with insurance companies to provide health insurance for their employees, he added.
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