# Dohms



## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

I'm moving permanently to Dubai to work very soon, on a contract. Which means I receive no health benefits of any kind through my employer.

I've been reading about the DOHMS (Dept of Health & Medical Services) Card, which can be purchased for AED310.

As I understand it, this then gives you full access to a range of subsidised medical services, including :

GP home visit : AED410

Nurse home visit : AED150

Walk-in clinic : AED250

X-Ray : AED120

Ordinary Hospital Bed (per night) : AED150

and of course, this being Dubai........

Hospital Royal Suite : AED4000

eservice.dohms.gov.ae/pservices/StandAloneListOfFees.aspx


I understand the level of medical care in Dubai is also very high.

So, my question is, as a fit man in his mid-40's with no chronic conditions, is it sensible to move to Dubai without health insurance, buy a DOHMS card, and essentially pay out of pocket for visits/procedures as they arise ? I last required a hospital visit about 15 years ago to have my wisdom teeth taken out.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

Get proper medical cover. Perhaps you are healthy, but you never know what can happen to you or even if you have a condition you're not aware of. You could be, heaven forbid, in a car accident, fall downstairs, something like that. What if you need to be medivacced home? You're looking at a basic price list, not considering specialist fees, tests, etc.


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

BedouGirl said:


> Get proper medical cover. Perhaps you are healthy, but you never know what can happen to you or even if you have a condition you're not aware of. You could be, heaven forbid, in a car accident, fall downstairs, something like that. What if you need to be medivacced home? You're looking at a basic price list, not considering specialist fees, tests, etc.


Thanks for this. So, to be clear on this, you would never consider a DOHMS card to be "proper medical cover" ?

Those prices seem amazinglyu reasonable, particularly considering the cost of medical care in the USA.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

If you have a policy that covers you, you wouldn't need to pay those fees. I've had things happen to me unexpectedly and, likewise, I've seen things happen to others. What happens if you end up in hospital and can't pay your fees? Your family will be responsible for the costs. You need to give matters like this serious consideration before making a decision.


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

BedouGirl said:


> If you have a policy that covers you, you wouldn't need to pay those fees. I've had things happen to me unexpectedly and, likewise, I've seen things happen to others. What happens if you end up in hospital and can't pay your fees? Your family will be responsible for the costs. You need to give matters like this serious consideration before making a decision.


I've just been quoted AED40,000 for annual cover. I could buy an awful lot of out of pocket DOHMS-tariff treatments for that price !!

Need to give this some more thought. I'm pretty shocked at that premium, if I'm honest.


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

This seems a positive move in the right direction, though seems to be aimed primarily at the currently uninsured migrant worker population :

Dubai government hospitals to treat expats | GulfNews.com


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

Are you sure being on a contract means your employer isn't obligated to provide insurance? I'd go back to try to push them for it.


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

BedouGirl said:


> Are you sure being on a contract means your employer isn't obligated to provide insurance? I'd go back to try to push them for it.


Pretty sure - it says in one of the clauses "this contract in no way constitutes a contract of employment" !! They are contracting me to provide professional services to a large well-known international company based out of Dubai. It's legit. I already know people working for them.

I basically get a large chunk of cash each month, one flight to Dubai and one flight out, and that's it. I have to provide everything else.

Which is ok - except I didn't think I'd be paying over AED3000 per month for health insurance !


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Interesting.

It sounds like you're the employee of an umbrella company working offshore who are asking you to go and work in a country without an employment visa ?

When you come into the country, are you on a tourist/non-working visa ?

Just because you know someone else doing it, doesn't make it legit - but you are correct that you'll need to spend a lot of money on health insurance.

You need to find out who your actual employer is and who is on the other end of your employment contract.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
This method of employment sounds highly dodgy to me - but if you really want to go down that route - you can also get a BUPA overseas policy from them in the UK that covers you whilst working in Dubai.
Cheers
Steve


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> Interesting.
> 
> It sounds like you're the employee of an umbrella company working offshore who are asking you to go and work in a country without an employment visa ?
> 
> ...


I'm on a residential visa. The company I'm providing services to is taking care of all of the paperwork. I'm working through a Dubai-based recruitment agency. They already have a significant number of people placed long-term with this company.

I think they just want no accountability for me of any kind in case things don't work out, and neither does the company for whom I'm providing services. They are simply buying services, not headcount, though they're sponsoring the visa.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

atlanticist said:


> I'm on a residential visa. The company I'm providing services to is taking care of all of the paperwork. I'm working through a Dubai-based recruitment agency. They already have a significant number of people placed long-term with this company. I think they just want no accountability for me of any kind in case things don't work out, and neither does the company for whom I'm providing services. They are simply buying services, not headcount, though they're sponsoring the visa.


I may be wrong but I think, if they give you a visa, they have to give you some sort of medical cover by law.


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## expatsue (Aug 21, 2013)

BedouGirl said:


> I may be wrong but I think, if they give you a visa, they have to give you some sort of medical cover by law.


Yes it is now compulsory for all Dubai residents to have health insurance since a law was passed in February, under a 2 1/2 year phasing-in process:
Dubai's mandatory health insurance law comes into force | The National


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

expatsue said:


> Yes it is now compulsory for all Dubai residents to have health insurance since a law was passed in February, under a 2 1/2 year phasing-in process


This is useful, but is it the obligation of the entity sponsoring the residency visa or the individual ?

In my case, the entity sponsoring my residency is a company of over 1000 employees.

And now this article has me wondering why the recruitment agency is at pains to tell me it's my accountability to purchase health insurance privately.......?!


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## expatsue (Aug 21, 2013)

atlanticist said:


> This is useful, but is it the obligation of the entity sponsoring the residency visa or the individual ?
> 
> In my case, the entity sponsoring my residency is a company of over 1000 employees.
> 
> And now this article has me wondering why the recruitment agency is at pains to tell me it's my accountability to purchase health insurance privately.......?!


It is the company who must provide the health insurance for its employees. I have found another article from a couple of weeks ago:

Dubai companies must provide health cover to staff by end of October | The National


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## atlanticist (Aug 9, 2014)

expatsue said:


> It is the company who must provide the health insurance for its employees. I have found another article from a couple of weeks ago:
> 
> Dubai companies must provide health cover to staff by end of October | The National


Technically, I'm not an employee - I'm a contractor.

I guess the question therefore now becomes :

If a company sponsors an individuals residency visa and work permit, does that also put them on the hook for their health insurance, no matter their exact employment status with the company ? Ie does that sponsorship automatically make them a de facto employee for the purposes of this new law ?


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

If they issue you a work visa, they are telling the MOL that you work for them.

In that regard alone, I doubt the semantic difference exists. With a contractor, there is a contract between two companies and its your company which has to provide a visa.

If you are feeling lucky, you could ask the MOL what they think ?


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

atlanticist said:


> Technically, I'm not an employee - I'm a contractor.
> 
> I guess the question therefore now becomes :
> 
> If a company sponsors an individuals residency visa and work permit, does that also put them on the hook for their health insurance, no matter their exact employment status with the company ? Ie does that sponsorship automatically make them a de facto employee for the purposes of this new law ?


Contractor arrangements are recognised under "special contracts" of a maximum of 2 years. They still have to provide this for you as you work for them.


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