UAE residents sighed in relief earlier this year when the Dubai government announced changes to healthcare insurance. According to the new laws, your Emirates ID can be used instead of your health insurance card when seeking treatment. So far, insurance companies in Dubai have slowly started to roll out the option and more are sure to follow suit.
What does the change mean?
Previously, visitors and citizens in the Emirates were required to have a health insurance card issued by their insurer in order to receive care. The health insurance card wasn’t just for those who wanted it, as the government
made health insurance mandatory for citizens living in the region. If you wanted to set foot in Dubai, you needed to have proper healthcare to cover your stay.Under the previous model, insurers issued a separate health insurance card, which residents carried around. The card was required for being allowed to enter the country and for accessing medical care. But having to carry a number of different cards in your pocket was never such a popular idea.Therefore, the latest government plan is about streamlining the flow of information and making life just a little easier for residents by removing the need to carry a separate health insurance card with them. As long as the resident has the Emirates ID card and uses the correct
insurance company in Dubai, they can prove their health insurance with the ID card alone. When you are looking to enter the country or access medical care, you will be able to prove your eligibility with your Emirates ID card alone.
Are insurance companies in Dubai on board?
At the start, six insurance companies took part in the rollout. The insurers on board included Orient, Daman, RAK, Oman, Noor Takaful, Takaful Emarat and Dar Al Takaful. The authorities have been working hard to expand the list and eventually all insurance companies in Dubai must align with the changes.If you are unsure about your current insurer offering the service, you should contact them for more details. This can also help them speed up their application of the new policy, in case they haven’t done so yet. If you are planning to move to Dubai to work, you should definitely talk to your health insurance provider about this option as well – although new customers with insurers part of the scheme are likely going to roll you into the scheme automatically.
How does the new card work?
Over 2,000 Emirates ID card readers have been sent out to medical clinics and facilities across the city. You can talk to your insurance provider and ensure the details of your health insurance are uploaded into the ID card. Once this is done, you will be able to use your ID card as proof of healthcare eligibility and cover.When the Emirates ID card is swiped through the reader, the clinics or border authorities will be able to see your health insurance cover, the type of insurance plan you are using and the specific policy number. This information can be used to provide you with entry into Dubai and to ensure your medical care bill reflects the insurance you are eligible for. If you are picking out prescription medicine from the pharmacy, you can also use the Emirates ID card as a proof of your healthcare insurance.
Adding more functions to the Emirates ID card
The Emirates ID card is slowly becoming a one-stop source for different transactions in the region. Getting health insurance companies in Dubai on board is just the latest way of improving the functionality of the identification card.The card has already allowed residents to use it as personal identification when entering the country. It can also be used to prove your identity during different payment transactions such as paying utility bills and fines. Furthermore, it can be used when registering vehicles and the idea is to eventually use it in replacement of the driving licence.Overall, the Emirates ID is making it smoother to pass through the hurdles of bureaucracy. Residents don’t have to carry around different documentation but they can just rely on a single identification document to clear the hurdles on their way.There is potential to expand the use of the ID card to other insurance areas as well. Insurance companies in Dubai could use it for vehicle insurance or home insurance. It is likely that the government and relevant authorities will explore these issues further in the months and years ahead.However, for now, your Emirates ID card can become a useful tool in terms of health insurance. You no longer have to carry your health insurance card with you when passing through the city’s border agencies or seeking medical attention. For many, this change is welcomed news in a world full of hurdles.
