Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, Director of the Health Funding Department at DHA, said sponsors and company owners who violate the Dubai Insurance Law by not renewing their employees and dependent’s insurance every year will be fined Dh500 per person per month as per Law 6 for the year 2017.

He said the fine will be deducted automatically via the electronic system when the visa is renewed. Dr Al Yousuf revealed that 14 pharmacies and clinics were fined between Dh20,000 to Dh60,000 for violating and trying to manipulate the Dubai mandatory Health Insurance law.

The DHA revealed the violations were found during inspections conducted by the Authority’s Health Funding Department as well as from member complaints.

Al Yousuf said the five pharmacies were for fined for purposely disbursing more medication than what’s needed, disbursing medication that is not needed and manipulating medical prescriptions. The nine clinics were fined for conducting unrequired medical tests and manipulating financial statements.

According to the Dubai Health Insurance Law that came into effect in January 2014, the legal liability for every sponsor is to provide an essential insurance package—  fixed between Dh550 and Dh700— so that those with salaries under Dh4,000 receive adequate cover.

Earlier this month DHA announced the launch of the Basmah initiative, making Dubai the first government entity in the world to provide a complete spectrum of care from screening to treatment for three types of cancer under the basic benefit plan of the Dubai Mandatory Health Insurance Scheme.

Basmah is an initiative of the DHA’s Health Funding department and under this initiative, the basic benefit plan of the Dubai Mandatory Health Insurance Scheme now covers screening as well as treatment of breast, colorectal and cervical cancer.

Prior to this scheme, cancer coverage under the mandatory health insurance scheme as part of the basic benefit plan was limited to Dh150,000. Now, that is no longer the case. Under the scheme, those detected with breast, colorectal or cervical cancer will receive coverage from screening until treatment.

So far, more than 4 million Dubai residents are covered by the Dubai health insurance initiative.