Bahrain Mirror: Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, stated that the health insurance which was the subject of a recent legislation will also cover visitors to the country. Visitors will have to pay the subscription fee for the mandatory health insurance for themselves, in addition to their dependents, and will benefit from the offered health packages during their stay.

The new healthcare system will start to be implemented on foreigners starting next year.

During an informational seminar on the new system organized by the Bahrain Medical Society, Al Khalifa also stated that the health packages are limited to emergencies and injuries arising from accidents. A cap will also be placed on the cost of the coverage and the dues that the beneficiary will have to pay to the health services provider.

Regarding the health packages offered to citizens, the chairman of the Supreme Council of Health said that they will not include private rooms nor cosmetic surgeries, including dental cosmetics. Regulations regarding sterility treatments and in-vitro fertilization will also be place, in addition to bariatric surgeries.

Al Khalifa also noted that the mandatory packages offered to residents will include foreign laborers, with the specification of the beneficiary's age, which will include offering primary healthcare, emergency treatments, and hospitalization if transferred by a primary healthcare physician. These packages do not include childbirth care or cosmetic surgery.

He also confirmed that the treatments will be subject to monetary cap for the residents and when renewing the health insurance for the upcoming years, assuring that this ceiling will be reviewed for those who exceed it. The services provider will also have to supply the beneficiaries with the appropriate care depending on the patient's medical condition. The residents have the right to make use of these packages from insurance providers according to the conditions set by both parties as long as these services do not fall short of those of the mandatory health package offered to residents.

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