Health cover not adequate, UAE residents pay from pocket

When Viki D'Cunha's insurance company refused to cover the medical expenses for his rare eye disease that needed urgent surgery, he argued, fumed and fretted but ended up paying from his pocket despite having a comprehensive medical cover given by his employer.

Earlier this week, results from a well-being survey done in the UAE in December 2016 showed that nearly half of the respondents (45 per cent) are not fully covered by insurance and have to pay for their own medical expenses.

The 2017 Cigna 360 Well-Being Annual Global Survey's findings showed that close to 50 per cent of the UAE respondents are concerned that they will be unable to pay for their family's or own medical expenses, above their mandatory employee coverage.

Also, one in five respondents in the UAE tends to delay necessary health checks and 93 per cent choose to self-medicate when unwell.

The survey was based on five indicators - physical, social, family, financial and work. Only 20 per cent preferred to visit experts such as doctors and dentists.

Read: 45% pay own medical bills in UAE: Survey

For Viki, 31, there was no choice but to pay from his pocket else he would have lost his eye sight gradually.

In December 2016, Viki was diagnosed with keratoconus, a non-inflammatory eye condition in which the normally round dome-shaped cornea progressively thins causing a cone-like bulge to develop. This results in significant visual impairment over time.

"When my doctor recommended lasik surgery, I naturally assumed my insurance company would cover, but they refused quoting a clause saying that it was to improve my eyesight," Viki told Khaleej Times.

"So I got in touch with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the company gave the same reply to them as well. My only concern is that it was a condition that should have been covered since it is a disease," he said.

Source: Khaleej Times