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Medical Cover in Saudi
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leggeymountbatten



Joined: 11 Mar 2016
Posts: 74

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:35 pm    Post subject: Medical Cover in Saudi Reply with quote

I was recently admitted to a hospital in Riyadh as an emergency patient.
I had a hernia problem.

Unfortunately despite the fact that I work at a CoE college, I had no medical insurance coverage.

This meant that I had to pay out around 5,000 sar daily for the treatment. I should say that I was admitted as an in patient to the serious nature of the emergency.

I am now substantially out of pocket.

I wish to raise the issue further with my employer, but need legal guidance on what my employer's legal obligations are in respect of the provision of medical cover.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I don't want to argue from a position of ignorance.

Leggey
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Amerrycan Muslim



Joined: 01 Jul 2014
Posts: 51
Location: KSA

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Were you aware that you didn't have coverage or did your sponsor not renew your insurance? In general, your sponsor would be liable for a fine from the MOL for not providing you with medical cover.

http://www.cchi.gov.sa/en/Rules/Documents/اللائحة%20التنفيذية%20لنظام%20الضمان%20الصحي%20التعاوني_نهائي.pdf
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Dr X



Joined: 04 Jul 2016
Posts: 84
Location: Everywhere

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 2:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Medical Cover in Saudi Reply with quote

leggeymountbatten wrote:
I was recently admitted to a hospital in Riyadh as an emergency patient.
I had a hernia problem.

Unfortunately despite the fact that I work at a CoE college, I had no medical insurance coverage.

This meant that I had to pay out around 5,000 sar daily for the treatment. I should say that I was admitted as an in patient to the serious nature of the emergency.

I am now substantially out of pocket.

I wish to raise the issue further with my employer, but need legal guidance on what my employer's legal obligations are in respect of the provision of medical cover.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I don't want to argue from a position of ignorance.

Leggey

Check your employment contract, what does it say?
Also, is the hospital a private or government one?
If you are an employee in a government institution, you do not need a medical insurance to use government hospitals.

Article 4
"..all non-Saudi employees in government agencies as well as their family members shall be exempted from mandatory health insurance, unless healthcare services for non-Saudi employees and their families are provided for in the employment contract or the Regulations of said agencies"
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I-forgot



Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 153
Location: Riyadh

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sponsors are legally required to provide medical coverage however.......

- I don't know whether or not they are required to provide for people on business visas (I suspect not)

- there is no requirement to cover all medical issues/all hospitals (perhaps you had insurance but not for this particular medical issue?)

In either case, I hope you make a speedy recovery (both you and your bank account).

If you believe you should have been covered, chase your sponsor and report them to the MoL. They will be fined and those that report them can be awarded a percentage of the fine in addition anything which they are already owed.
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I-forgot



Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 153
Location: Riyadh

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 2:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Medical Cover in Saudi Reply with quote

Dr X wrote:
leggeymountbatten wrote:
I was recently admitted to a hospital in Riyadh as an emergency patient.
I had a hernia problem.

Unfortunately despite the fact that I work at a CoE college, I had no medical insurance coverage.

This meant that I had to pay out around 5,000 sar daily for the treatment. I should say that I was admitted as an in patient to the serious nature of the emergency.

I am now substantially out of pocket.

I wish to raise the issue further with my employer, but need legal guidance on what my employer's legal obligations are in respect of the provision of medical cover.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I don't want to argue from a position of ignorance.

Leggey

Check your employment contract, what does it say?
Also, is the hospital a private or government one?
If you are an employee in a government institution, you do not need a medical insurance to use government hospitals.

Article 4
"..all non-Saudi employees in government agencies as well as their family members shall be exempted from mandatory health insurance, unless healthcare services for non-Saudi employees and their families are provided for in the employment contract or the Regulations of said agencies"


Further to Dr X's post, this has been an issue for direct hire employees at Princess Nora University. They have been turned away from government hospitals because they were white and staff assumed they should have private healthcare insurance.

The sponsor must provide insurance. If your sponsor is a government agency or institution, your should have access to government hospitals and healthcare.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Government employees are entitled to treatment in government hospitals. Others should have health insurance provided. Those on Business Visas have no entitlement to anything. Another reason to refuse the Business Visa route.
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leggeymountbatten



Joined: 11 Mar 2016
Posts: 74

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am grateful for the posts and advice.

My situation is that I have an Iqama. I have been with the same college (TTC) for about 4 years now, but the provider has changed.

The latest provider, Lincoln College, revised the contracts of employment. My present contract appears to make no reference to medical coverage.

The hospital I used was a private one.

To be honest, I hesitate to confront management as I value my job. But will consider the matter further as I wish to recover at least some of the costs.

Leggey
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

leggeymountbatten wrote:
My present contract appears to make no reference to medical coverage.

The hospital I used was a private one.

To be honest, I hesitate to confront management as I value my job. But will consider the matter further as I wish to recover at least some of the costs

You answered your own question: talk to HR about your medical coverage if you expect to recoup some or all of your costs. (If communicating with them about your benefits makes you anxious, you should be asking yourself why you continue to work there.)
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I-forgot



Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 153
Location: Riyadh

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 5:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As an iqama holder and therefore a 'legit' employee, you are entitled to medical coverage.

I would suggest you speak to HR, perhaps use a softly, softly approach and ask for reimbursement first, if that doesn't happen, ask for the insurance company details and if those are not forthcoming, contact the MoL.

Good luck and I hope you are on the mend.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is now a legal requirement that employers provide medical cover. The only exception is government jobs, where you should get treatment at government hospitals. You may have to argue your case for that - especially for dependants.
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babur



Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 178
Location: Dammam, Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 9:43 am    Post subject: health ins Reply with quote

This came in a while back
https://expathealth.org/country-alerts/expat-employees-families-insurance/
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Lord T



Joined: 07 Jul 2015
Posts: 285

PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Leggey-don't let them get away with this because they will do it to all your colleagues as well, if you don't make a stand.

There are rules regarding healthcare for people with iqamas; your employer should abide by them.
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Balzac



Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 266

PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 4:15 am    Post subject: Health Insurance Reply with quote

Leggey,

your employers are committing a criminal offence. If, as I suspect, you are working at a CoE, your employers are required by Saudi law to provide health insurance. There's no ambiguity about this. It's the law and has been since the Saudis started employing hordes of expats.

Looking back at previous threads where you posted, I see that you were at the Technical Trainers College (TTC) and the Brit outfit there now is Lincoln Colleges International (LCI). You should get a copy of the Saudi Labour Law and go to see your employers, as you say, from a standpoint of no longer being ignorant.

From what I hear, this British company is a cowboy outfit where salaries are not being paid on time, classes are without teachers, students are no longer turning up because of it and staff are working there without the correct qualifications. I'm sure the Saudi labour law would be interested in taking up your case and making a visit. In the event they aren't, the CoE hierarchy based near Grenada Mall should also be protecting you from unscrupulous employers.

Know your rights and you can start by looking at the main Daves Index where I believe there is a link to download a copy of Saudi Labour law.

Good luck.

B
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leggeymountbatten



Joined: 11 Mar 2016
Posts: 74

PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Balzac - yes you are right.
The college itself, and more so the new providers, have had a lot of challenges, particularly of late.

There is a severe shortage of teaching staff. People have been dismissed with little or no reason. This present situation, notwithstanding the advice I have received from this thread, makes me even more reluctant to ask Lincoln to pay my medical bills. They may well send me on my way.

I am a man in my mid to late 50's. My chances of finding another position in the Kingdom are slim at best given the general economic situation now with the falling oil price.

I have medical insurance in the UK for my hospital at Stoke Mandeville. But I find myself caught between a rock and a hard place.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

leggeymountbatten wrote:
There is a severe shortage of teaching staff. People have been dismissed with little or no reason. This present situation, notwithstanding the advice I have received from this thread, makes me even more reluctant to ask Lincoln to pay my medical bills. They may well send me on my way.

I am a man in my mid to late 50's. My chances of finding another position in the Kingdom are slim at best given the general economic situation now with the falling oil price.
....

But I find myself caught between a rock and a hard place.

Save up just in case you need additional medical care. Or look into purchasing insurance.

At some point, your opportunities for a KSA job will dry up. Hopefully that won't be sooner than later.
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