Insurers in Egypt are projecting that medical costs would jump by 31% in 2025, says WTW, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. WTW is anticipating instead a higher medical trend rate of 35% next year.
In its Global Medical Trends Survey report, WTW says that the rising trend is primarily driven by increasing healthcare expenses, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and hospital services. General economic inflation and currency depreciation are driving up costs, particularly for imported medical supplies.
Additionally, the growing demand for advanced medical treatments and technologies (such as surgical operations using laparoscopic or laser), along with a rise in chronic diseases, contributes to higher utilisation of healthcare services, further increasing costs.
Lastly, regulatory changes and tax increases in the healthcare sector may also influence pricing but with a lower impact.
This year, the Egyptian market has seen an increase in cancer-related claims and utilisation. Although there is rising awareness of the importance of early detection, with a greater emphasis on preventive screenings such as mammograms leading to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes, this may also increase claim volumes.
Insurers are also enhancing their coverage options by including second-opinion services, providing patients with more effective treatment options.
The following table shows the medical cost trend in Egypt compared to several other markets in MENA:
|
|
Gross increase %
|
Net of general inflation %
|
Inflation rate (IMF World Economic Outlook)
|
|
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025 #
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025 #
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025 #
|
|
Algeria*
|
6.0
|
8.0
|
6.0
|
-3.3
|
0.4
|
-0.4
|
9.3
|
7.6
|
6.4
|
|
Egypt**
|
25.8
|
31.9
|
31.0
|
1.4
|
-0.6
|
5.3
|
24.4
|
32.5
|
25.7
|
|
Jordan**
|
6.0
|
7.1
|
10.6
|
3.8
|
4.4
|
8.2
|
2.2
|
2.7
|
2.4
|
|
Kuwait*
|
6.3
|
6.5
|
6.8
|
2.6
|
3.3
|
4.0
|
3.6
|
3.2
|
2.7
|
|
Qatar**
|
6.5
|
7.5
|
12.0
|
3.4
|
4.9
|
9.6
|
3.1
|
2.6
|
2.4
|
|
KSA**
|
15.0
|
14.0
|
13.5
|
12.7
|
11.7
|
11.5
|
2.3
|
2.3
|
2.0
|
|
Turkiye**
|
93.0
|
80.5
|
69.4
|
39.2
|
21.0
|
31.0
|
53.9
|
59.5
|
38.4
|
|
UAE
|
9.5
|
11.0
|
11.5
|
7.9
|
8.9
|
9.5
|
1.6
|
2.1
|
2.0
|
|
# projected
*Countries where trend was provided by WTW brokers
**Countries where trend was provided by both insurers and WTW brokers
|
|
Source: WTW Global Medical Trends Survey 2025 — Survey report
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