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Dubai: All workers will have medical insurance paid by their employers when the national insurance scheme comes into force, the labour minister said. Gulf News earlier quoted health officials as saying employers would not be required to provide insurance to employees under a mandatory national health insurance scheme coming out this year. Dr Abdul Gaffar Al Hawi, assistant undersecretary of curative medicine at the Ministry of Health, earlier said employees may have to pay the premium for the national health insurance. "The premium is not the employers' responsibility. The agreement has to be between the two: the insurance organisation and the person," he said at the time.
However, Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, said this week workers would not pay in the upcoming national heath insurance scheme. "In the private sector, companies must pay for insurance for workers. Workers will not pay," he said. But the minister said some companies might force wor-kers to pay "under the table" for the insurance themselves, in the same way they make workers pay for labour permit transaction fees. Dr Al Ka'abi said the labour ministry was currently discussing the issue with officials from the health ministry. Under Article 96 of the UAE Labour Laws, employers are required to provide workers with "medical care facilities corresponding to the standards laid down by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in cooperation with the Minister of Health." However, many companies do not provide any medical care for their workers, others illegally deduct monthly fees and others make workers pay exorbitant fees when they undergo routine medical checks. Gulf News has previously interviewed workers injured by electric saws and in car crashes who had to pay their own medical fees. The national health insurance plan is expected to fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance and Industry. Under the national health insurance plan, everybody will be able to seek treatment at all hospitals in the UAE, including private ones, as listed by the insurance organisation. The plan is mandatory for every UAE resident. The plan is in its final revision at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and is likely to be issued this year.
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