Assembly to review new medical fees

KUWAIT: The decision by the Health Minister Jamal Al-Harbi to increase the fees of medical services for expats will be reviewed by Parliament as MPs believe that the decision deserved a second look, informed sources said. Although, the minister has the authority to issue such a decision and Parliament has no right to oppose it, many MPs are of the opinion that a legislative-level review maybe helpful in passing a law and chalking out a clear mechanism for fees on Kuwait’s health services.

The sources said the parliamentary committee on health will soon hold a meeting to discuss the increase of fees. Though the committee agrees on the new decision in principle, it objects to the decision to grant exemptions to certain groups from the increase.

The sources added that the same applies to the education committee which will also discuss a proposal to end the exemption granted to expat children of public school teachers from joining government schools. Though a decision was taken in the 1980s to prohibit expatriate children from enrolling in public schools, an exemption was granted later to children of Arab teachers who worked in public schools. Recently, Education Minister Mohammad Al-Fares had made a proposal to the parliament’s educational committee to review this exemption so that the state can save thousands of dinars which can be effectively utilized in the education sector.