Dubai's Essential Benefits Plan

The Dubai Health Authority launched the Insurance System for Advancing Healthcare in Dubai (ISAD) in 2014 as a comprehensive project to deliver sustainable high-quality healthcare to citizens, residents, and visitors in Dubai (ISAHD). Dubai now requires health insurance.

The basic premise of the new system is that everyone in Dubai should have health insurance. Applicants without valid health insurance will not be awarded residency visas.

The Essential Benefits Plan, or EBP for short, is the minimum amount of health insurance coverage mandated by Dubai legislation for residents.

The basic premise of the new system is that everyone in Dubai should have health insurance. Applicants without valid health insurance will not be awarded residency visas.

The new regulation, which was signed into law by Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, states that employers must provide health insurance to all of their employees.

Employers, on the other hand, are not required to cover the dependents of expatriates. Although the DHA encourages firms to cover their employees' dependents as well, some employers delegate this responsibility to their workers.

If your company does not provide health insurance for your dependents, you have two options.

The EBP is for Dubai residents with a monthly income of less than AED 4,000, including dependents who may not work at all. Those earning more than AED 4,000 per month are not eligible for the EBP, however, their medical insurance must at a minimum match the EBP's requirements.

The annual fixed cost of the Essential Benefits Plan is between AED 550 and AED 650.

Emergency care, surgery, medical testing, medicine, outpatient and inpatient treatments, and maternity care are all covered under the EBP. There are, however, restrictions, limitations, and co-insurance (the amount the insured person will be responsible for paying) provisions in place.

Among them are:

1. AED 150,000 is the annual claim cap.

2. Only Emirates within the UAE can receive emergency medical care.

3. The Emirate of Dubai offers basic healthcare services.

4. For the first six months, treatment for chronic and pre-existing diseases is not covered, but after that, it is.

5. A 20% co-insurance is due by the person insured for basic in-patient healthcare services, with a per-encounter cap of AED 500 and a yearly aggregate cap of AED 1,000. The insurance will cover anything exceeding these limits.

6. Cost of pharmaceuticals and medicines up to an annual limit of AED 1,500 – each prescription carries a 30% co-insurance (payable by the insured).

The DHA's Employer's Information Pack contains all of the coverage specifics.

The EBP covers maternity leave in some cases, including:

1. Blood tests, three ultrasounds, and eight pre-delivery appointments are all part of the outpatient antenatal care.

2. In-patient services – up to AED 7,000 for normal birth and up to AED 10,000 for a medically necessary C-section

3. Newborn coverage - Under the mother's insurance policy, the newborn infant is covered for 30 days for testing and screenings from the date of birth.

4. There is a 10% co-insurance for both out-patient and in-patient maternity care that the individual insured must pay.

DHA's Employer's Guide contains all of the pertinent information.

EBPs can only be provided by a select group of insurers known as "Participating Insurers." As a result of the DHA's desire to protect the most vulnerable workers, insurers' profit margins are limited. The Essential Benefits Plan is only available to insurers who can handle large volumes of business, exhibit operational efficiency, and provide excellent customer service.

You can anticipate high-quality healthcare in Dubai, whether you require a regular check-up or an emergency consultation. The Emirate invests heavily in cutting-edge equipment, new facilities, and qualified employees to succeed in healthcare and become one of the world's premier medical centres.