Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The health insurance policyholders will have as many as 18 new benefits as well as 10 improvements in the existing benefits effective from October 1 this year.

The Council of Health Insurance is making final preparations to launch the package of benefits as well as to update the insurance coverage limits from next month.

Nasser Al-Juhani, spokesman of the council, said that the maximum coverage for mental health has been raised to SR50,000 from SR15,000 for acute and chronic psychiatric cases. The value of hemodialysis coverage has also been raised.

He said that a number of updated benefits have been added pertaining to exploratory preventive tests, and vaccinations, apart from focusing on women’s health, obesity operations, and kidney transplantation.

The updated health insurance policy aims to realize seven main objectives, namely boosting the prevention of disease for the beneficiaries, health promotion, reduction of complications of the disease, improving the capacity of beneficiaries, facilitating access to the service category, empowering beneficiaries, and enhancing service quality and efficiency.

Al-Juhani, who is also executive director for empowerment and supervision at the council, said that holders of health insurance policy that is issued or renewed with validity on Oct. 1 and beyond can avail of these benefits.

He said recently that bariatric surgery would have the coverage of health insurance. Al-Johani said the insurance coverage for obesity operations aims to provide more and more appropriate options for health insurance beneficiaries in the council’s endeavors to reduce obesity rates. He emphasized that the insurance coverage includes those under all age groups.