The implementation of a new 2024 medical fee schedule, published on 16 November 2024, in the Official Gazette by the Ministry of Health, has been postponed to 15 June 2025.
The date was determined at a meeting held yesterday to resolve a dispute between insurers and doctors over the new medical fees, reported Roya News.
The meeting was held at the Ministry of Health with the government represented by Health Minister Dr Firas Al-Hawari, government spokesperson Dr Mohammad Al-Momani, and Minister of State for Legal Affairs Dr Fayad Al-Qudah. The insurance sector was represented by Dr Nazeer Al-Bateh, president of the Jordan Health Insurance Association, secretary general Dr Fawaz Al-Ajlouni, chairman of the Jordan Insurance Federation Mr Majed Smeirat, CEO Dr Moayad Kalloub, and attorney Raed Al-Owaidat. Jordan Medical Association (JMA) president Dr Ziad Al-Zoubi and Cooperative Fund president Dr Hatem Al-Rawashdeh also attended the meeting.
The session resulted in an agreement to implement the new medical fees schedule as published in the Official Gazette, with effect from 15 June 2025.
The meeting was held as Dr Zoubi accused insurance companies, associations and unions of delaying the implementation of the new schedule despite its official publication in the Official Gazette. Dr Zoubi criticised insurance companies for issuing unauthorised fee schedules, asserting that only the tariffs published in the Official Gazette are valid.
Although the Jordan Insurance Federation and the Jordan Health Insurance Association last week announced that the new medical fees were scheduled to be implemented on 16 November, the fees they mentioned differed from those published in the Official Gazette.
Dr Zoubi urged insurance companies to comply with the gazetted 2024 fee schedule, warning that non-compliance could lead to a boycott of their services by doctors. He said that while treatment would continue, patients would be required to pay in cash first. Doctors would then issue invoices or receipts for reimbursement claims to be lodged with insurers. Dr Zoubi also said, “Those who cannot pay will receive free treatment, and emergency cases will be treated regardless of insurance coverage.”
But insurance companies threaten to remove doctors who refuse to receive insured patients from their accreditation panels.
Also approved at yesterday’s meeting was the mechanism for implementing the Cooperative Fund System for doctors, established in 2018. A joint committee was formed, consisting of three members from the JMA and three from insurers, chaired by Dr Raed Al-Shboul, secretary-general of the Ministry of Health for Primary Healthcare and Epidemics. The committee is tasked with finalising the necessary operational details by 15 June 2025.
The cooperative fund system for doctors will allow patients to consult any doctor, even if not approved by their insurance company. The fund collects doctors' fees from insurance companies for clinic and private hospital services.