Abu Dhabi waives 20% co-payment for Thiqa health insurance card holders

Residents in the UAE holding the Thiqa medical insurance card will now be completely covered when visiting a private healthcare facility in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered the waiving of the 20 per cent co-payment for holders of the Thiqa medical insurance card, when receiving treatment at private healthcare facilities in the UAE capital, official news agency WAM reported.

The Thiqa scheme was set up in 2007 and offers health insurance for UAE nationals. The initiative is delivered through a network of partner providers with the National Health Insurance Company – Daman, managing the programme on behalf of the government.

The 20 per cent co-payment was introduced in June last year, but was waived in January for three long-term care centres in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

Sheikh Mohamed, whose statement came during a visit to the Burjeel Hospital, stressed that the private healthcare sector should play a larger role in transforming Abu Dhabi’s healthcare ecosystem.

Sheikh Mohamed was also provided an update on the upcoming Burjeel Medical City, which will focus on ultra-specialised domains like oncology and include an advanced imaging department, an emergency department, operating theatres and associated critical care area, a rehabilitation centre with prosthetics and orthotics services, outpatient clinics, and a retail area.

The Dhs1.2 billion hospital is slated to open in 2018.

During his visit, Sheikh Mohamed also issued directives to set up a specialised medical college and build a specialised healthcare city that would help Abu Dhabi become a regional destination for healthcare services and medical tourism.

Abu Dhabi is focussing on the medical tourism industry and the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (Haad) and the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and signed an agreement at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai this week to set up a medical tourism network to cater to overseas patients, particularly those from Russia, ­China and India.