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Members to use Emirates ID card as an alternative identifier to insurance cards
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The National Health Insurance Company Daman has begun distributing 2,000 Emirates ID card readers to medical facilities, which allows members to use their Emirates ID card to identify themselves as insured members at participating hospitals.
The move will support the government's efforts in transitioning towards smart services and to improve Daman and Thiqa cardholders' accessibility to medical facilities.
The Emirates Identity Authority has provided Daman with card readers which allow members to access healthcare services in addition to their regular insurance card.
His Excellency Dr. Saeed Abdullah Al Ghafli, Director General of the Emirates Identity Authority, said that the authority is committed to making more card readers readily available when required. The distribution plan is set with the aim of developing an advanced ID management system in the country, and to support the government's approach towards smart governance, enhancing the UAE's global competitiveness.
HE Dr. Al Ghafli also stressed the importance of the card readers in strengthening the operational efficiency of public and private institutions and better facilitating daily services. The card reader is equipped to scan the cards within seconds, thus saving time. It also provides the benefit of using advanced digital and electronic applications in the card.
HE Dr. Al Ghafli pointed out that the authority's goal is to make the EID card the most valued identification document for all citizens. The EID is expected to facilitate all aspects of civic life, in line with reaching the second goal of its 2014-2016 strategy, in widening the scope of EID usage.
"Adopting the Emirates ID as an alternative for insurance cards is a major step towards simplifying the process of accessing medical services," said Dr. Michael Bitzer, Chief Executive Officer at Daman. "We value Emirates Identity Authority's efforts and support; through which we are able to show our commitment towards providing great value to members as well as enhancing the level of health insurance services overall."
Daman is currently piloting the service at key medical facilities, and is aiming to launch the service in all facilities early next year.
The new card readers will scan a policy holder's details and send it to Daman's secure servers, which will then identify the member's eligibility and show the medical facility the member's schedule of benefits. The system is browser-based and does not require any special software for installation by the medical facility.
Daman continues to collect Emirates Identification numbers of its members, in line with the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi's initiative of using Emirates ID as the main personal identifier for all health insurance members in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
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About National Health Insurance Company - Daman
National Health Insurance Company - Daman is the region's leading specialised health insurer, providing comprehensive health insurance solutions to more than 2.8 million members in the UAE. Over the years, the company has been the partner of choice for a number of the country's most prominent organisations and multinational companies in various industries including oil and gas, aerospace, energy, construction, investments and media.
Daman is a public joint-stock company that is 80% owned by the Abu Dhabi Government with the remaining 20% owned by Munich Re. The company is backed by the reliable support of the Abu Dhabi Government and its strategic partner, Munich Re, one of the world's leading reinsurers, plays an important role as both reinsurer and a valuable source for knowledge transfer.
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi and established in 2006, Daman offers a range of health insurance plans for both individuals and organisations and exclusively manages the Government's health programme - Thiqa - for UAE Nationals and Abu Dhabi Basic Plan - for low income expatriates. Members enjoy access to the largest healthcare providers' network in the UAE and an extensive international network of over 45 countries.
Daman, a pioneer in health care insurance, drives innovation through a combination of state-of-the-art technology and healthcare-related expertise offered by a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Members benefit from added value through unique offerings such as the disease and case management programmes as part of the acclaimed Health Support services. Daman also operates a 24/7 customer call centre and has a medical services authorisation team in direct contact with Daman's network of healthcare providers. It also provides a diverse range of online services that are unmatched in the UAE.
Daman has set high standards in the health insurance industry and has been awarded a number of internationally recognised awards and quality-focused certifications in a relatively short span of time. The company is ISO 9001 certified for Quality Management Systems and ISO 27001 certified for Information Security Management. The company's successful application of the online-based Pharmacy Benefit Management system has received a full accreditation by URAC.
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© Press Release 2015
