Though healthcare is subsidized in Qatar - especially at public hospitals like the state-of-the-art Hamad Medical Center - taking out an additional medical insurance package for emergencies should always be part of your contingency planning. A necessity for expatriates living in Qatar, private medical insurance protects you financially in extenuating medical circumstances. As of 2014, expatriates are legally required to have private health insurance, which can be offered through the sponsoring company/workplace, or taken out individually.
Qatar is home to over 100 high-tech, well-funded, and well-staffed hospitals and clinics, in addition to the government-run Hamad Hospital group that covers five additional hospitals and over 20 clinics. The high standard of basic public health care means that all residents can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that they can get the medical attention they need at an affordable cost. Admission to government-run medical services works through a national health care, which costs around QR 100 and is available to locals and expatriates alike. Showing this card at government medical centres ensures the cardholder free medical treatment, subsidized medications, and free specialist recommendations.
Aside from this, private companies in Qatar tend to offer employees a comprehensive healthcare package as part of their monthly benefits. Most insurance plans are available for individuals and groups, have special discounts for families or include family members, and offer direct billing within Qatar's large network of medical providers. Plans are usually organised in tiers and vary in coverage. They can include local insurance, or can extend benefits to popular expatriate home countries like the GCC states, the Indian subcontinent, other Arab countries, and the larger MENA region. Premium plans usually offer international health insurance, and are useful if your job entails a lot of travel. Geography aside, medical insurance plans can also differ in terms of what they cover. Higher-end plans usually cover expensive and elective procedures like orthodontics, LASIK, and even plastic surgery, while more run-of-the-mill versions usually subsidize hospital accommodation, accidents and emergency costs, intensive care and theatre costs, surgical operations and procedures, anesthesiology costs, physicians fees, prescribed medications, casts, splits, trusses, braces, crutches, prostheses, surgical appliances, diagnostic tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, oncology treatments, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and opthalmology. Local providers like QLM also provide comprehensive out-patient benefits by way of diagnostic tests, specialist recommendations, out-patient home visits for emergency conditions, emergency ambulance costs, outpatient surgical procedures, physiotherapy, psychiatric treatment, and more. Other optional add-ons might include coverage for transplants, at-home medical care, compassionate emergency home visits, burial or cremation costs, free preventive care in the form of vaccines, screenings, and check-ups, and emergency medical evacuation.
If you don't yet have a medical insurance plan, this is the time to consider investing in one. The nominal annual fee is well-worth it when you consider the longterm savings and peace of mind it can offer you and your family. Get a head start on your healthcare goals today, and give one our local medical insurance experts a call today (check list below for contact information)!