Kuwait: Health ministry guidance on suspended medical insurance scheme awaited
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Nov 2024
The Ministry of Health’s decision to suspend a health insurance scheme for retired citizens and housewives has raised questions over its potential revival.
The Kuwaiti cabinet approved the temporary suspension (for a year) of the Afya health insurance scheme for retired citizens with effect from 12 September. This announcement was made days short of the 15 September expiry of a prevailing contract with GIG.
In a statement, the ministry said that the insurer refused to commit to the “same previous conditions and prices without an increase”.
GIG said that it had informed the health ministry of its willingness to extend the contract by six months, despite bearing a higher financial burden from adding housewives to the coverage. The health ministry had directed that an allocation of KWD33.76m ($110.7m) be made for the period 1 January to 15 September 2024 to cover the cost of including housewives as Afya beneficiaries.
Following the termination of the contract, GIG said that it would extend coverage to retirees who had begun treatment at a private hospital in Kuwait before the termination date and continue to do so until their discharge. M