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At least in the first phase, hospitals and clinics in Dubai will benefit greatly since, as of January 1, 2025, residents of the Northern Emirates will also be required to have health insurance. This is because, in order to meet the rising demand, cities like Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah will need to build a large number of new healthcare facilities. According to sources in the insurance and healthcare sectors, new clinics and hospitals may still be three to four years away. It is crucial that the newly insured will immediately increase their number of medical consultations throughout the Northern Emirates. 

When Abu Dhabi and Dubai introduced mandatory health insurance in 2006 and 2012, respectively, we saw this trend. Residents wanted to see a doctor using their new insurance policy, regardless of whether they were there for a cough or a fever. For newly insured people in Sharjah and abroad, it should be the same.

Check the Insurance Policy

In order to find out if residents of the Northern Emirates are permitted to get outpatient consultation at a facility in Dubai, they should carefully review the fine print on their new health insurance Dubai and the UAE policy.

Many health insurance UAE policies cover multiple emirates, which may encourage insured people from the northern emirates to visit Dubai's advanced medical facilities for treatment. If these new insurance policies are offered to Dubai healthcare facilities, they will probably gain, at least initially, from the reduced capacity in the northern emirates.

While living in Dubai, we also see a considerable number of companies and workers registering their enterprises in Sharjah and other northern emirates' free zones. Despite having visas and insurance plans linked to the northern Emirates, these residents are more likely to use facilities near their homes, which raises the demand for healthcare services in Dubai. The healthcare resources of Dubai will be further strained by this overlap, but its providers will also benefit financially.

Healthcare for All

The UAE mandated universal healthcare insurance for all of its citizens. Northern Emirates-based private sector entities need to make sure all of their employees have access to sufficient medical coverage.

This is a turning point for the future development of health insurance Dubai and the UAE and the healthcare industries. There is indeed an unexpected surge in investments for new hospitals and clinics in the northern emirates. Many citizens of these emirates who previously relied on government-run organizations will now have a choice and build a more competitive atmosphere among healthcare providers.

Residents in the northern emirates will pay far less for their basic medical insurance plan than residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which is not a huge surprise given the significant differences in basic medical policies. In Dubai, basic health plans would start at Dh350, while in Abu Dhabi, they will start at Dh800. The reduced prices are a reflection of the cost dynamics of the northern Emirates, which include changes in insurance claims and medical expenses. Generally speaking, these are less expensive than the major cities in other parts of the UAE.

A basic medical plan's lower cost may also limit policyholders' options for selecting their healthcare provider. As they extend coverage to citizens in the northern Emirates, health insurance UAE providers are probably going to be more careful about controlling their health insurance exposures.

It Will Take Time!

The law will force Northern Emirates residents to get medical coverage sooner rather than later, primarily because their visa renewals will be reliant on whether they have a plan or not. Generally, when laws requiring health insurance UAE are implemented, the initial response is usually slower, and people may delay getting medical coverage until fines or other enhancement measures are in place.

In any case, UAE healthcare providers now have every reason to make big investments in clinics and hospitals throughout the northern emirates. In addition to improving access to healthcare, the policy's extension of medical coverage to the Northern Emirates will spur significant growth in the industry. This will stimulate more investments in healthcare facilities, attract the private sector, and improve the UAE's healthcare ecosystem as a whole. Think about having the best health insurance Dubai and the UAE from one of the top providers for safety and confidence in any unforeseen situation.