Expatriate hospitals and insurance to keep patients in Kuwait

New expatriate and private paying hospitals in Kuwait, and compulsory healthcare insurance, could mean both expatriates and local Kuwaitis have an alternative to going overseas for treatment.

The new compulsory health insurance provided by public-private partnership, Dhaman, is aimed at the two million residents working in the private sector under visa No. 18, in addition to their registered families. It does not cover the one million expatriates working in the public sector or as domestic servants as these workers are treated as Kuwait citizens.

The company developed the existing health insurance system in Kuwait, which is based on separating health insurance from the health care costs. A Kuwait resident currently pays annual health insurance fees and also pays other fees in exchange for services, treatment and medicine.

The new Dhaman package covers various annual insurance fees, such as medical expenses, but is not limited to the expenses of scans, x-rays, laboratory tests, outpatient clinics, treatment, operations, hospitalisation and other services.

Insurance will pay for treatment in Dhaman hospitals and centres, plus specialist treatment in Ministry of Health hospitals. Only in rare circumstances will it pay for treatment overseas,

Employers are obligated to pay for the health insurance of their expatriate employees.

Dhaman centres are open in Farwaniya and Hawalli governorates. They are equipped with the necessary medical, technical and administrative equipment, and offer a variety of services at prices similar to those of the Ministry of Health.

Dhaman is building expatriate-only hospitals in Ahmadi and Jahra, to open in 2021. A third hospital is being built later in Farwaniya. The total capacity in the three hospitals will be 900 beds. This is aimed to lift the burden on the facilities of the Ministry of Health.

Dhaman hospitals have a future plan to attract citizens for treatment at their facilities, but with fees, and to provide them with VIP services. They could become a strong competitor to local private hospitals for Kuwaitis and offer an alternative to going overseas for treatment for expatriates and locals.