Private institutes seek time for mandatory health cover plan

Muscat: Representatives of private health institutions have requested that the introduction of medical insurance be postponed until outstanding issues are resolved.
The request was made at a meeting held on Monday to discuss the readiness of the health institutions to meet the procedural demands after medical insurance is made compulsory for private sector employees.
The rule mandating health insurance for private sector employees is to come into effect from January 2018.
The Services Committee of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), represented by the private hospitals sector, held a meeting under the chairmanship of Rashid bin Amer Al Muslihi, member of the OCCI’s board of directors and head of the services committee, attended by Dr Walid bin Khalid Al Zadjali, head of the private health institutions team, and representatives of private hospitals in the Sultanate.
The participants insisted that private hospitals were ready for the implementation of medical insurance.
However, they requested more time to sort out the issues and take measures hat would be favourable to all parties; namely employees, insurance companies, private hospitals, and health institutions.
Medical insurance
Al Muslihi said that the creation of a clear and unified national medical insurance policy was the key to successfully providing health insurance.
If the policy involves the private sector, particularly the OCCI, which is well versed in preparing the proposed policy model, it would be helpful, he added.
The challenges private health institutions face include improving quality, stabilising prices and speeding the procedure for approvals for treatment, given the absence of a national insurance policy, Al Muslihi said.
The attendees explained that the decision did not address the mechanism needed to kick-start the implementation of the new insurance rules. The meeting also stressed the importance of having a specialized agency to implement the decision, and to keep a check on prices set by private health institutions, in return for the services provided.
The attendees stressed the importance of such an agency, in determining the relationship between he insurance companies and private health providers. This agency will set minimum prices for medical services, and follow up on licensing issues and accelerate the procedure for the issuance of these licenses.
The committee said that the unresolved issues included the time taken in payment of dues for services and the duplication of some procedures, such as the requirement for registration of doctors by insurance companies, despite the granting of licenses to practice from the ministry.
Moreover, it was debated whether the health institutions, insurance companies or parties responsible should come up with a plan to enable the integration of roles in improving the services provided by these parties.