The vision places a large emphasis on healthcare and education to help with human development.
Sofian NawaisehAssociate,Corporate Structuring
Alongside economic, social, and environmental development, human development concludes the four pillars of the Qatar National Vision of 2030 (“QNV 2030”). The vision places a large emphasis on healthcare and education to help with human development. According to the QNV 2030, Qatar aspires to develop an integrated system for healthcare, managed according to world-class standards. This vision has been incorporated in the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 of the Ministry of Public Health (“MoPH”), which aims to develop an integrated healthcare system to achieve better health, better care, and better value for all.
In response to the QNV 2030 and the MoPH’s National Health Strategy , Qatar has issued the Healthcare Services Law No. 22 of 2021 (the “Healthcare Services Law”). The Healthcare Services Law came into force on 4 May 2022 and was published in the Qatar Official Gazette on 4 November 2021. The medical industry in Qatar is regulated by a number of laws and the Healthcare Services Law complements such legislation by introducing mandatory health insurance coverage for all residents and visitors of Qatar.
The Healthcare Services Law is meant to reform the healthcare system, putting Qatar a step closer to being the healthcare hub in the region. According to the Healthcare Services Law, the MoPH shall be commissioned to set up the policies, plans, procedures, and systems for providing healthcare services at public and private health facilities and for applying and supervising compulsory health insurance. Article 2 of the Healthcare Services Law lists the following duties that shall be carried out by the MoPH:
provide a high-quality, end-to-end healthcare system that functions in an efficient, effective and sustainable manner;
take appropriate actions for ensuring development and sustainability of the compulsory health insurance;
determine the packages of essential healthcare services in accordance with the beneficiary categories described in the law and its regulations, including the level of healthcare services required to be provided for each beneficiary category;
classify the health insurance granted to expatriates into various categories by the premium required to be paid for each category, healthcare services provided to them and places where they get access to treatment;
register the healthcare service providers and determine the services permitted to be provided by each of them, as well as registering the insurers, claim management companies and insurance brokers, in accordance with the criteria and conditions set out in the regulations;
designate the Public Health Facilities that provide healthcare services for the compulsory health insurance, and the services provided by them;
establish the necessary systems for data control and protection by all persons involved in the compulsory health insurance scheme;
set up the rules for transfer of health insurance coverage of the beneficiaries from an insurer into another;
set the maximum annual limit of the insurance policy and subsidiary limits of essential healthcare services;
determine the insurance premium required to be paid for the beneficiaries to the insurer;
issue the circulars and newsletters that shed light in the policies and procedures relating to the enforcement of compulsory health insurance-related legislation;
establish a mechanism for deciding on the complaints filed by the parties involved in the insurance transaction in relation to compulsory health insurance;
coordinate with the stakeholders on all compulsory health insurance-related matters; and
monitor compliance with the provisions of the law and its regulations as well as the resolutions issued in implementation of the law and the regulations and take necessary measures against the violators.
Healthcare services shall be provided to Qatar nationals at the Public Health Facilities at no cost.
We outline below some of the key provisions introduced by the Healthcare Services Law:
Health insurance is now compulsory for both expatriates and visitors of Qatar. Entry visas and residence permits will not be issued and/or renewed without providing proof that a healthcare insurance subscription is in place.
Employers shall be obliged to pay health insurance premiums against the insurance coverage for essential healthcare services to be provided to their employees and their family members that are residing in Qatar.
The law identifies the responsibility of each participant, i.e. employers, beneficiaries, insurers and healthcare service providers.
The law introduces a number of sanctions and financial fines for violating its provisions ranging from QAR 30,000 to QAR 500,000.
The practicalities of the Healthcare Services Law are further governed under the regulations that were issued by Qatari Minister of Health in her Decision number 8 of 2022 on the Issuance of the Implementing Regulations of the Healthcare Services Law (the “Regulations”).
The Regulations include practical provisions that govern the healthcare sector in Qatar and the relationship and responsibilities of each category addressed under the Healthcare Services Law, namely; healthcare services providers, insurance companies, insurance brokers, employers, recruiters, and the beneficiaries.
Under the Healthcare Services Law and Regulations, any person residing, working or visiting in Qatar must be covered by health insurance. Employers are obliged to provide insurance coverage to all of their employees and their families. Visitors must arrange their own coverage or provide proof that their insurance provides international coverage including the State of Qatar for the period of their visit.
Healthcare service providers, insurance companies, insurance brokers and claims management companies must be registered in a special registry at the Ministry of Public Health to be able to provide healthcare or other associated services. The MoPH will supervise and control the healthcare services sector and its powers in this regard include: (i) controlling the registration of the healthcare and other service providers; (ii) requesting from the healthcare service providers any data or information relating to the healthcare system; and (iii) conducting supervisory and inspection visits to all concerned parties to ensure their compliance with the Healthcare Services Law and Regulations.
The Regulations included two schedules determining the minimum healthcare services to be provided under the basic coverage for residents and visitors of Qatar, as follows:
Although the Healthcare Services Law and Regulations are effective and in force, authorities are yet to fully implement the provisions of the new healthcare system. One of the first signs is that the General Directorate of Passports has started requesting visitors to submit proof of valid health insurance to cover their visit period in Qatar for the directorate to approve the visit visa application. We have also been advising our clients to start enrolling their employees and their families in health insurance coverages in anticipation that the Healthcare Services Law will be at the top of the agenda in 2023.
As Qatar moves towards achieving its National Vision of 2030, the issuance of the Healthcare Services Law is another step forward and we expect Qatar to introduce other laws and rules to regulate new products and services in the healthcare sector.
For further information, please contact healthcare@tamimi.com.
Published in January 2023
