Healthcare in Saudi Arabia

Guys, you could also help with the Expat.com participative guide

I work for a hospital so I get free health care.  Employee health is very nice, very cooperative and concerned and will make referrals to other hospitals/specialists with no hesitation.  Also, all meds are free.

THAT said ... I'm screwed if I leave Saudia haha  I went home to the States recently on vacation and kept my fingers crossed the entire time I was there!

Most healthcare insurance for both, locals and expats, are covered by a few insurance companies as follows:-

TAWUNIYA (formerly NCCI)
BUPA
MEDGULF ARABIA

There are several other smaller insurance comanies operating in the kingdom too, some from India and the sub continent but I do not have any experience dealing with them.

All of the above provide the normal Group Medical Insurance coverage for employees of companies (minimum 50 employees for group coverage), while only MEDGULF offers individual family coverage for smaller numbers, but, at a higher premium. I insure with Medgulf since I am a private consultant on my own who does not belong to a larger corporate group (sponsor) even though I do have a sponsor only for legal necessity of residency.

WShile the coverage provided by them are based on levels (5 Star downwards) and the premiums vary accordingly, the administrative services theu offer are absolutely PUTRID, sadly. All three of them drove from pillar to post over a period of SIX long months before I was able yto successfully obtain full coverage for me and my family through MEDGULF, last December on the expiry of my previous policy with BUPA.

The biggest problem I see with all of them are that they are 100% commercially oriented and dont give a rats behind for the customer and his needs. They also offer a dummy "pseudo" kind of policy at a very low rate of about SR 2K+ per annum covering some absolutely unpalatable polyclinics cluttered within the city for blue collar workers who are on free visas in the Kingdom to facilitate their Iqama renewals since the new rule is that Med Insirance is compulsory for Iqama issuance/Renewals.

Such is the state of affairs of medical insurance in Saudi.

Of the hospitals in Riyadh I would recommend the following:-

KINGDOM
DALLAH
HAMMADI
SAUDI GERMAN
AL MASHAAL
OBAID

We also use YTRANSAD CLINIC in Sulaimaniya, since 1992, for all our simpler medical needs as they are very professional, well equipped, and courteous.

Not recommending King Faisal or Fahad, musicman? 

I'm curious as to why?

1. My Insurance Company is is MEDGULF.

Last week I had a chance to check it how it works !
The result was very satisfactory.. no problem at all..

2. By the way, I am very satisfied with the Saudi-German Hospital

Two birds with one stone..

Hi-

Thanks to all for the responses!! Can anyone give me an idea of cost?

ur medical insurance will be done by your sponsor as the insurance people usually (legally) dont take a single application. they ask for a whole company to do at once...but still i heard an individual can also do, the charges which i heard was 1300 riyals for an individual below 40 years...

Stephanie

We have CIGNA International with a Rider for SAICO (Saudi Arabian Insurance Company) for Middle East countries.  CIGNA is the Parent company and for those of us in the Middle East, SAICO is the Recognized Carrier.  If your in the States or any where else in the world, then CIGNA is the recognized Carrier. 

While in the States I was an HR Director and I purchased this insurance for our overseas employees.  Its quite comprehensive and basically from what was offered by some of the other large carriers like United, BUPA, etc., CIGNA clearly offered the best coverage from a company and an employee stand point and the rates weren't bad.  As Musicman mentioned they are out to make money, so you need to review the coverage and decide what is best for the company.  Along with coverage, I would say that claims processing is the next big issue that an employee has to deal with and CIGNA makes it easy and everything can be done on line and the payouts are processed quickly.

When we arrived in KSA my husbands employer provided BUPA Ins and that was/has been a nightmare.  When your in the states no one knows what it is, so you have to pay for EVERYTHING up front and processing your claims is awful.  We are still trying to get my daughters surgery paid for so she have another.  And this sentiment extended to other company personnel located in Japan, Australia, Singapore, DUBAI, Poland, and Italy, etc.  Everyone was very happy to hear about the change to CIGNA on 1 April. 

I have not had to use the local healthcare system so I have no idea what facility is best.  I will leave that one to those who know and can offer an opinion!

Hope this helps!