About 3 million citizens have subscribed to Egypt’s comprehensive health insurance so far in Port Said, South Sinai, Ismailia, Luxor, and Aswan governorates, according to Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait.
The comprehensive health insurance system was launched in Port Said in December 2019.
Maait said, in a Tuesday statement, that osteoporosis diseases, some mental illnesses, aging-associated diseases, speech rehabilitation, and congenital disorders will be included in the health insurance.
The mentioned diseases and disorders will be added to the approved list of chronic diseases which are exempt from constructions ratios regarding radiology services, medicines, and medical tests and imaging.
Maait affirmed that the Health Insurance Authority has a strong and solid financial position, adding it will expand its services during the upcoming period, in contracting with service providers of the private and public sectors.
The system services providers represent 51 bodies, including eight hospitals, 20 initial care units, and 10 central healthcare units.
He added that there are more than 2300 medical services are provided, including medical tests, radiology, surgeries, cancer treatment, organ transplantation, dental treatment among other services.
Meanwhile, Maait said that the system has continued to provide its services in Port Said during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, adding that medications have been delivered for some citizens of chronic diseases at home.
He said that the system took part in the efforts of combating the COVID-19 outbreak through the partial allocation of some hospitals affiliated to the comprehensive health insurance system to be quarantine facilities for the coronavirus patients, with taking all needed precautionary measures to protect citizens who visited in outpatient clinics of these hospitals.
The comprehensive health insurance system is planned to be implemented in six phases over 15 years with the aim of covering all the country’s governorates by 2032.
The system aims to eliminate poverty and disease rates and focus on providing all medical services for beneficiaries and their families in exchange for contributions. Beneficiaries and families who can’t pay for the subscription, the public budget will bear the financial burden on behalf of these families,
The health sector has been allocated a total of EGP 258.5bn in the fiscal year 2020/21 budget.
