Jordan Times
Tuesday, April 6, 2004
650,000 citizens to benefit from national health insurance system
By Khalid Dalal and Reem Halasa
AMMAN — The government yesterday endorsed a new regulation under which an
additional 650,000 citizens will benefit from the state-run health insurance
system.
“The regulation will increase the number of national insurance beneficiaries to
800,000,” Government Spokesperson Asma Khader announced in her weekly press
briefing yesterday.
According to the regulation, some 300,000 children under six years of age, in
addition to around 350,000 needy citizens will be included in the health
insurance system, Minister of Health Saeed Darwazeh told reporters at another
press conference.
“This will add 650,000 new beneficiaries to the 200,000 citizens already
receiving health insurance from the state. Extending the insurance coverage will
cost the government around JD25 million,” he said.
Darwazeh stressed that the government was committed to implementing the
regulation within three months.
According to Khader, the majority of citizens to be included under the national
health insurance system are already receiving assistance from the National Aid
Fund or those receiving meagre salaries.
“The Council of Ministers will soon define the salary scale of families who are
to receive health insurance from the state,” said Khader, also minister of
state.
According to the system, government employees who retired early — around 29,000
— are to benefit from the health insurance. Also, women will be given the right
to include their husbands and children in their health insurance — a right only
given to men in the past.
“The plan aims to benefit almost 90 per cent of the population within the next
three years,” Darwazeh told the press.
“The ministry will implement the plan in cooperation with the Ministry of Social
Development, and qualified beneficiaries should contact the latter ministry for
approval before applying for insurance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Darwazeh said the ministry's current plans include the establishment
of Prince Hamzah Hospital, which was constructed to reduce the pressure on Al
Bashir Hospital. The 400-bed hospital will be officially opened in the first
quarter of next year, Darwazeh said.
The ministry plan also includes expanding the obstetrics and gyneocology section
at Al Bashir Hospital to 170 beds, and setting up an operation theatre inside
the maternity ward for emergency surgeries when there are labour difficulties,
Darwazeh added.
The ministry is also looking into establishing two new hospitals in Baqaa and
Zarqa, and doubling the number of healthcare centres in the Kingdom within the
next three years, Darwazeh said.