Health cover to become mandatory for expats in UAE

A new law is being phased into the United Arab Emirates that will make it compulsory for all expats living there to take out their own health insurance.

saupload_dubaiAccording to Dr Haider Al Yousuf, the Director of Health Financing at the Dubai Health Authority(DHA), the country’s new Health Insurance Act will mean that all citizens and residents will be required to make sure they have health insurance within the next two years.

To ensure this practice is being carried out, expats will now be asked to show their insurance policy documents to immigration officials when obtaining a residence visa. Residents who are already living in the UAE will need to be covered by 2016, while those already classed as citizens will need to obtain health cover by mid-2015.

Prior to becoming mandatory, all expats living in the UAE had already been strongly advised to take out private health insurance, as medical costs in the country can be very expensive.

Dubai in particular is widely recognised for its high level of healthcare and is regarded as having some of the best facilities in the world.

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