The regulation governing medical insurance coverage currently provided to about seven million people in the Kingdom was tightened Saturday by the Cooperative Health Insurance Council (CHIC). The amended executive regulation applies to 1,597 health service providers and 25 insurance companies. It includes rules for pricing and issuing policies. The amendment effectively strengthens the Council's powers over insurance companies and health service providers, said CHIC Secretary General Dr. Abdullah Al-Shareef. Service providers who cheat or are unable to protect the health of insurance beneficiaries would find their credit frozen under the new regulation, he said. Also, it is now mandatory for insurance companies to submit the names of the insured to the national health insurance network system within 48 hours of the activation of a policy. Another change is the addition of two clauses to Article 2, which makes health insurance compulsory for all Saudis in the private sector, including those on contract work for individuals, and also all members of Saudi families. Other controls ensure that insurance premiums are not exorbitant and do not cause fluctuations in medicare cost.
