Takaful News - Saudi Arabia: Health insurance council prepares strategy for 2020
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Jan 2016
The Secretariat General of the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI), which supervises the health insurance sector in Saudi Arabia, has taken the first steps towards implementing a study to prepare a strategy for 2020.
This strategy will set out the roadmap and identify the medium- and long-term goals of the Council, focusing on initiatives that will contribute to the transformation and development of the health insurance industry, according to a statement on the Council’s website.
The Secretariat General has held a meeting with a consulting company, during which plans as well as the appointment of a project manager for each initiative were discussed. A timetable was also reviewed.
Mr Mohammed bin Suleiman Al-Hussein, CCHI Secretary General, said that health premiums account for 52% of the total Saudi insurance market.
The number of health insurance subscribers is around 11 million, with Saudi nationals making up 30% of this total and non-nationals the rest. Twenty-six insurers provide medical coverage.
Mr Al-Hussein said the CCHI has launched several projects and initiatives to develop and strengthen the health insurance industry, including an electronic documentation management system which links health insurers and healthcare providers. The system allows insurers to verify personal information of the insured, which would help reduce “phantom” cases. It also maintains details of health insurance policies.