Limbo Lingers For Over-60s Although Firms Approved

Minister of Health Dr. Khaled Al-Saeed, in response to a query from MP Dr. Hassan Jowhar, said the health insurance hospitals have no clear vision and are unable to provide the required health services on the basis of which the service was awarded to them and added the Ministry has not signed a contract with these insurance hospitals because they have yet to give a complete picture of its health system, reports Al-Jarida daily. Al-Saeed said, the health insurance hospitals designated to treat expatriates do not have the competence and that the burden will fall on the Ministry of Health. He said this is the reason why the ministry refused to sign the contract to protect public money.

According to the bidding document which the company was awarded, a copy of which has been obtained by the daily, is entitled to collect the value of the health insurance from expatriates immediately upon signing the contract, which the ministry called inconsistent. He went on to say, if the ministry concludes this contract in light of the incomplete health system and holds the ministry responsible for providing health services to non-graduate expatriates who are 60 years and above means the health insurance companies have the right to collect insurance fees without providing any services, this would be a waste of public money.

Since the goal of establishing the company to provide basic health services to expatriates is to reduce the burden on the government hospitals and healthcare centers, and to develop the health system in the State of Kuwait as an initiative for a real partnership between the public and private sectors, by activating the role of the private sector in providing health sector services, this contradicts the reality because of the inability of the health insurance hospitals to provide the service, said Dr Al-Saeed.

He added, if we assume that a contract was signed with the company, it will automatically collect the value of the health insurance according to the terms and conditions, and the company will collect during the first year an estimated approximately 260 million dinars without providing any service, and the Ministry will provide the service without any consideration, and the five percent of the aforementioned fee does not equal the value of the services that will be provided the ministry.

He added, since the ministry is the one that still provides the health service at its various levels in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 1 of 1999 regarding health insurance for expatriates, it is the one who is entitled to collect the value of the health insurance and fees for the services provided.

Al-Saeed stressed that according to the provisions of the Civil Law, there is no entitlement to a financial compensation except in exchange for a service provided (and there are no tangible services by the company that are entitled to any financial compensation), and in the event that the Ministry waives part of its revenues without an actual service provided by the company, then the Ministry will bear the expenses of treating resident expatriates.

He added that, this action by the ministry comes in fulfillment of the principles established by the Audit Bureau of the necessity of preserving public money in compliance with Cabinet Resolution No. 220/2 of 2018 regarding taking steps and measures to activate expenditure control and serious rationalization of spending, as well finding ways and means to maximize revenues. The Insurance Regulatory Unit (IRU) has approved the approved list of companies qualified to issue a health insurance policy for the non-graduate expatriates who are 60 years and above, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The list includes the names of 11 companies
Kuwait Insurance
Gulf Insurance
Al Ahlia Insurance
Warba Insurance
Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance
International Takaful Insurance
Elaf Takaful Insurance
Boubyan Takaful Insurance
Baytak Takaful Insurance
Arab Islamic Takaful Insurance
Enaya Insurance Company

The following are the conditions which qualify companies to be on the approved list:

■ Must be a Kuwaiti shareholding company licensed by the IRU to engage in insurance business related to the subject matter of the insurance policy.
■ Must have the ability to manage health claims through its own networks and to provide proof of this to the unit, or to have a contract with one of the (health) insurance claims management companies.
■ All final judicial verdicts must have been finally and fully settled, unless the rulings were judicially suspended.
■ Must be committed to paying all the financial obligations of the Health Claims Management Company and the network of health service providers.
■ Any other conditions determined by the IRU. The IRU has the right to cancel the listing of the company from the approved list if it is proven that any of the previous conditions are not met.

 

 

 

SOURCE  ARABTIMES

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