DOHA: Local insurers are critical of the way the compulsory health insurance plan is being implemented in the country and grudgingly hint that the state entity, which has been set up to execute and monitor the scheme, is a monopoly.
They say the setting up of National Health Insurance Company to provide the mandatory cover to the entire population would likely adversely affect the quality of healthcare services in the country.
Besides, this would deny “us” an opportunity to play a more active role in the medical insurance scheme, the country’s leading insurers, Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), said speaking on behalf of the local insurance industry. The monopoly of the NHIC would mean absence of competition. This would in turn mean that health care providers would appoint general medical practitioners rather than specialists to cut costs and make more profits, said a QIC official speaking to reporters here yesterday on behalf of the company’s CEO.
The official said local insurers were mulling approaching the authorities concerned on the issue and registering their “grievances”.
The NHIC, to recall, is a nodal agency entrusted with executing and monitoring the mandatory health cover scheme, will be providing basic health insurance packages to all segments of the population. The NHIC would do better to provide cover only to nationals and leave the expatriate population and visitors to us, the QIC official said.
The Peninsula
