26 May 2012
The study, which is being carried out by the Health Services Council in cooperation with the Cooperative Health Insurance Council, is expected to be completed within five years. The royal directive shows the keenness on the part of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in serving the interests of the citizens as well as in ensuring that they will not bear any financial burden while implementing the scheme, according to a report in Al-Eqtisadiah business daily.
The directive also stipulates that any forms of health insurance meant for the citizens should not be implemented before carrying out elaborate studies about various aspects of the scheme. The new directive was issued following a recommendation by Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and the head of the Health Services Council in this respect. They drew attention to the move of some government departments to implement the health insurance scheme for their employees on an individual basis.
Al-Rabeeah noted that this move was in violation of the Kingdom's cooperative health insurance law.
At present, the health insurance scheme is restricted to foreign workers and Saudis working in the private sector. While addressing a recent health insurance conference in Riyadh, Al-Rabeeah noted that the health insurance scheme would be implemented in a way that ensured full-fledged and top-quality health care for all citizens free of cost.
Several prominent figures in the health and insurance sectors also addressed the conference. They underscored the significance of improving the health insurance market in the Kingdom with an increased monitoring and supervisory role for the Cooperative Health Insurance Council to regulate the market.
The study, which is being carried out by the Health Services Council in cooperation with the Cooperative Health Insurance Council, is expected to be completed within five years. The royal directive shows the keenness on the part of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in serving the interests of the citizens as well as in ensuring that they will not bear any financial burden while implementing the scheme, according to a report in Al-Eqtisadiah business daily.
The directive also stipulates that any forms of health insurance meant for the citizens should not be implemented before carrying out elaborate studies about various aspects of the scheme. The new directive was issued following a recommendation by Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and the head of the Health Services Council in this respect. They drew attention to the move of some government departments to implement the health insurance scheme for their employees on an individual basis.
Al-Rabeeah noted that this move was in violation of the Kingdom's cooperative health insurance law.
At present, the health insurance scheme is restricted to foreign workers and Saudis working in the private sector. While addressing a recent health insurance conference in Riyadh, Al-Rabeeah noted that the health insurance scheme would be implemented in a way that ensured full-fledged and top-quality health care for all citizens free of cost.
Several prominent figures in the health and insurance sectors also addressed the conference. They underscored the significance of improving the health insurance market in the Kingdom with an increased monitoring and supervisory role for the Cooperative Health Insurance Council to regulate the market.
© Arab News 2012
