The Omani government is actively considering mandatory healthcare insurance for all expatriate and Omani workers, to be provided by employers.
The Omani government is actively considering mandatory healthcare insurance for all expatriate and Omani workers, to be provided by employers.
Drawing on the examples of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, a detailed report has been submitted to the Cabinet for approval. Cabinet has had the latest report for several months and the Ministry of Health, is awaiting a decision.
The report suggests that any scheme should be implemented in a phased manner, over a period of five to 10 years. At the end health insurance will be compulsory for all locals and expatriates. The first phase will start with big companies with many expatriate workers.
The suggestion is that the scheme will be run by competing health insurers with state control over cover, acceptance and perhaps price too. The proposed scheme aims to reduce the healthcare burden of the government. This will also ensure that private sector hospitals get enough patients to be viable. The mandatory scheme will also give a boost to insurers.
The market for medical insurance is growing in Oman, especially after expatriates have been moved out of government hospitals to private health centres. Oman has a population of 4.22 million, of whom 1.47 million are expatriates, many brought in to do skilled or strenuous jobs in the oil, construction and services industries.
Oman will set up a health council to regulate the healthcare sector including ministry and private hospitals and clinics. The health ministry plans to link patient records at four major government hospitals with private hospitals and clinics to ease complexities in treatment. This will enable the government to have a unique number for each and every patient. The four major government hospitals are already linked.
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