Private-sector employers are excluding chronic and common medical conditions from health insurance plans as they tighten their belt in the current economic downturn, said media reports citing hospital doctors and insurers. There has also been a fall in the number of staff health insurance plans sold in the Sultanate so far this year.
Dr Rohil Raghavan, Director at Lifeline Hospitals in Oman, told the Times of Oman: “We are witnessing a worrisome trend. We have found that some companies are excluding insurance coverage for chronic ailments like diabetes, and blood pressure because they need constant medication and treatment.”
Senior executives of insurance companies across Muscat said that employers are renewing the medical insurance of their employees with fewer benefits – to save some money.
“Yes, it is a general trend in the market due to current economic conditions,” an industry executive said, adding that 5% of the company’s existing clients have not renewed policies this year and many others have opted for in-house management.
Currently in Oman, companies are not bound to provide health insurance coverage for expatriate workers. Last October, Oman government officials said that mandatory healthcare insurance for all expatriate and Omani workers, to be provided by employers, was being actively considered by the government.
However, a senior official at the Ministry of Manpower said that no decision has been taken as yet.
“It has not been shelved. However, there has been no updates at this moment,” Mr Saeed bin Nasser Al Saadi, an advisor to the Minister of Manpower, said.
Among the GCC states, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar currently do not make it mandatory for employers to provide medical cover for their expatriate employees.