Abu Dhabi, July 2 (IANS) Low-income expatriate workers will be among new categories of low-income people in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who will get basic health insurance cover. An amendment to this effect was introduced by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council (ADEC) to the executive regulations of Law No. 23 of 2005 for health insurance in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates that make up the UAE and is home to around 300,000 of an estimated 1.5 million expatriate Indians in this Gulf nation.

The ADEC Resolution No. 47 of 2008 was taken upon a recommendation by the Health Authority - Abu Dhabi (HAAD) with the aim of expanding the umbrella of the 600 dirhams ($163.3) Basic Health Insurance Plan (BHIP) to cover new categories of low-income people.

According to the report, beneficiaries of the BHIP will include expatriates drawing a monthly total salary package of 4,000 dirhams ($1,809) with accommodation or 5,000 dirhams ($1,361) without accommodation, dependents of resident expatriates who are not covered by insurance offered by their employers, poor non-nationals and humanitarian critical cases.

HAAD is authorized to set regulations for these cases.

HAAD chairman Ahmed Al Mazrourie said the amendment would allow low-income segments to continue receiving health insurance services under the BHIP especially after a recent hike in their salaries.

“The move will also open the door for more individuals to enter the BHIP,” he was quoted as saying.

The new resolution also ended with effect from July 1 the exclusive right of the National Health Insurance Company (Daman) to provide compulsory and optional health services to all non-national government employees and their dependents.