Muscat: The Capital Market Authority (CMA) has issued the Unified Health Insurance Policy (UHIP) to be implemented for private sector employees, including expatriates and visitors to the Sultanate.

  • The insurance scheme will cover two million workers in the private sector employees and visitors to the Sultanate, including the spouse of the workers and their children (21 years and below.)
  • The project guaranteesminimum basic health coverage to both outpatients and inpatients, emergency conditions, treatment of diseases, and the cost of medicines.
  • The employer is responsible for the payment of the premiumand in agreement with the employee he can include added benefits for pregnancy, childbirth,dental and eye care.
  • The employee can withdraw from a scheme by giving 30 days notice to the employer, along with a proof of an alternative insurance policy.
  • The project document has been prepared in partnership with the concerned stakeholders, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), insurance companies operating in the Sultanate, private health institutions and the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTOU).
  • Theemployer is obliged to pay the cost of the premium and also the ‘inpatient treatment costs’ do not include any contribution from the worker.
  • It covers the cost of transporting the deceased’s body to his native or permanent home.
  • The health insurance project will contribute to attracting international private health institutions to invest in the Sultanate and as well as in spreading private health care in various governorates and the Sultanate.
  • It will also contribute to the entry of international insurance companies offering products of high quality, thereby creating employment opportunities for Omanis in the sectors of insurance and health.
  • It will also improve the level of efficiency of medical staff working in the private health institutions of the sultanate.
  • Premeditated self-inflicted injuries, experimental treatments, preexisting conditions, comprehensive check-ups that do not require medical treatment, any checkups or health services done for reasons such as travel, insurance or a permit are exempted from the mandatory insurance policy.
  • It also excludes injuries reported from outside the workplace, alternative medicines and diseases as a result of alcoholism or overuse of medicines,sexually-transmitted diseases, or the costs incurred by a person diagnosed with HIV.
  • The insurance term is one year initially with legal residents of Oman eligible to be included in the policy.
  • The expenditure limit for the treatment of an inpatient is RO 3,000, including hospital stay, doctors fees and diagnosis, medicines, ambulance expenses and patient care.
  • The expenditure limit at outpatient clinics is RO 500, the cost of consultation, diagnostics, laboratory and medication fees.
  • The cost limit for repatriation of the deceased’s body to his original home is RO 1, 000.