Outpatient Insurance

Outpatient insurance is a type of health insurance that has been designed to cover all forms of outpatient care (more on that below). One of the best ways to think of this insurance is that it covers less serious medical issues or medical issues where you are not admitted to the hospital. Most insurers outside of Dubai will view outpatient insurance as extended coverage, meaning they will sell this type of policy as an add-on/extension to an inpatient policy. 

While this type of insurance does not usually cover more serious care or emergency care, it is still imperative for many people that they obtain outpatient coverage. This is especially the case for families, as children are more likely to need to see the doctor often. For this reason, people who get their health insurance through their employer, but receive no outpatient benefits, will often source their own health insurance privately in order to get the outpatient coverage they need.

In many countries, outpatient insurance is not required by law to secure, however in Dubai all health insurance plans sold are required to cover outpatient care, read on below to learn more. 

As mentioned above, outpatient insurance is designed to provide cover for outpatient care. This type of care is usually seen to be less urgent than an emergency, life-or-death situation. Outpatient care refers specifically to medical treatment received that does not involve an overnight stay in the hospital.

Generally, outpatient medicine is performed in a hospital or clinic and the patient is able to leave the facility of their own volition shortly after. This could be something as standard as a checkup, or something as serious as a small surgery or cancer screening. Other types of outpatient care include:

• Vaccinations
• Home nursing
• Diagnostic tests, including CT scans and X-rays
• Alternative treatments
• Prescription medications
• Medical practitioner and specialist visits where you are not admitted to a hospital

The above statements are true for much of Dubai, as well as many countries around the world. However, it is certainly worth mentioning that there are a couple of Emirates in which obtaining outpatient care is not optional.

According to the Dubai Health Authority, every individual within the Emirate is required to maintain a certain level of private health insurance coverage in order to enter or stay in the Emirate. Dubai goes so far as to even restrict visa issuance for short term visitors. To be clear, if you are traveling to Dubai at all, you will need proof of health insurance.

Dubai's health insurance law comes with a minimum level of coverage that acceptable medical insurance policies must meet. This includes the inclusion of inpatient and maternity benefits, but also outpatient coverage as well. In Dubai, the minimum requirement is that outpatient care is covered up to the annual maximum of AED150,000 with a copayment of 20% on most treatments, as well as a 30% payment on all medications.

One huge advantage to choosing Pacific Prime Dubai over our competition is that we specialize in international health insurance. International health insurance provides insurance coverage in virtually any hospital in any country worldwide. What’s more, unlike travel insurance that only provides emergency medical care abroad, international health insurance can provide both inpatient and outpatient care all around the globe. This means no waiting to return home before you can get a prescription for a cold or flu, or having to cover costs for such care out of pocket.

For more plan comparisons and a free price quote on plans including outpatient health insurance coverage, please visit our online comparison tool.