MoH hospitals increase medical services fees
dubai — Residents of Dubai and the Northern Emirates are reeling under recent drastic fee hikes for medical services at government hospitals operating under the health ministry.
From consultation fees to separate charges for medicines, patients visiting the ministry hospitals and centres have to pay at least five times more than before, according to a new rate list issued as a circular by the ministry in September.
As per the circular, expatriates now have to pay Dh150 to open a new health file as compared to Dh20 that was being charged earlier from a patient carrying a health card. Earlier, without a health card, charges for opening the file were fixed at Dh75.
However, health services at the ministry hospitals remain free for UAE nationals, though adults are being charged Dh150 for a health card. Emirati children aged between 1-10 years old are also required to hold a health card that costs Dh55. Those between 1018 years have to pay Dh80.
For expatriates of all age groups, a Cabinet decision issued in August by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, fixed the price of a health card at Dh500 — up from Dh300. Dh300 was fixed as charges for replacement of a lost card.
The decree also said that expatriates will have to pay double the fee for a medical service in government hospitals and centres if a valid ministry-approved health card is not presented.
Charges for consultation with a general practitioner (GP) at a hospital now stand at Dh150 (with a health card) from the earlier Dh50 and Dh300 is charged if a patient does not hold a health card.
Fees for consultations at peripheral clinics have also doubled from Dh50 to Dh100, while X-ray charges stand at Dh100 with a health card and Dh200 without health card.
There is also a new fee for issuing sick leave requests or medical reports, which has risen to Dh53.
“Earlier, we were given medicines and other treatment within the Dh20,” said a patient from Ras Al Khaimah on the condition of anonymity. “Now we have to pay Dh25 separately for tablets and Dh30 for injections alone.”
“There are hardly any private hospitals in these areas, so we are very much dependent on government hospitals… but with these charges, getting treatment will be very expensive.”
The patient said that getting an X-Ray done at a private hospital was now cheaper than at a government hospital. “Private hospitals charge Dh60 and also accept insurance cards,” said the patient.
With the new rate list, only traffic accidents are considered as emergencies, which will therefore be treated at discounted rates.
Non-urgent cases seen in the accident and emergency are required to pay Dh203 for health card holding patients and Dh403 for nonhealth cardholders, according to fees listed on the website of Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah.
“There are many blue-collar workers based here and there are many industrial accidents that take place, but there is no relief for such cases in the hospitals now,” added the patient.
Medical services in each emirate are managed by different health authorities such as the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD).
A parallel health system is run by the health ministry in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
No relief for employees
Expatriates working at the health ministry are not entitled to health insurance and also have to pay for any medical services that they avail of at the ministry hospitals, claimed a ministry employee on the condition of anonymity. “We are neither given any medical benefits nor any insurance cover even when we visit a ministry-run hospital,” said the employee.
The employee requested the government review the charges to make healthcare affordable for all, in addition to providing insurance cover to all ministry employees “With this fee hike, we too are being affected badly and have to pay up from our pockets,” said the employee.
No comment was available from the ministry.