Lebanon: Insurers and hospitals agree on medical insurance price hike

Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Mar 2026

The insurance industry and the hospital sector have agreed on an increase of up to 6% in contracted hospital rates, instead of the 15% demanded by hospitals.

Before this, tense negotiations took place over recent months to keep hospital rates within what are considered sustainable ranges, reported the news organisation Ici Beyrouth.

The health insurance model in Lebanon is being severely tested against a backdrop of inflation, a health crisis and unhealthy competition. Last year, the increase in hospital rates was around 5%.

The private hospital union said that insurers had raised their premiums several times since 2019, while maintaining hospital tariff coverage at 60-75% of the pre-crisis level. A multifaceted crisis emerged in October 2019 in the wake of nationwide protests against corruption, and economic and financial difficulties.

According to preliminary estimates, the number of Lebanese covered by insurance has fallen from nearly 600,000 before 2019 to approximately 400,000 today. M

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