DHA, Neuron sign pact for Saada health programme
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has signed on Neuron as the third party administrator for its Saada health programme.
The agreement was signed by Humaid Al Qutami, director general of the DHA and Mohammed Al Mutaiwei, chairman of Neuron, in the presence of Saleh Al Hashimi, advisor of Dubai Health Insurance Corporation; Umair Nizami, managing director and Board member of Neuron and other senior health officials.
‘Saada’ means happiness in Arabic and the programme is one of the smartest health insurance schemes in the world. It is applicable for all nationals in Dubai who do not benefit from any other government funded health insurance cover. More than 100,000 Emirati nationals have already enrolled in and continue to benefit from the Saada scheme.
Al Qutami said that the Saada programme is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to provide the population of Dubai with high-quality health services and access to healthcare to build a healthy and happy society.
Keeping this vision in mind, the DHA has also successfully completed the roll out of the mandatory health insurance scheme for the emirate of Dubai. Currently in Dubai, 99 per cent of the population of Emiratis and residents with Dubai visas are covered under the mandatory health insurance scheme.
Highlighting the importance of the agreement with Neuron, Al Qutami said, “This agreement stems from our efforts to provide sustained comprehensive coverage and provide users with access to a broad network of healthcare providers in the UAE. It also further strengthens our ongoing cooperation with them. Neuron has a vast experience in this field and we are pleased to collaborate with them to serve our population.”
Neuron has been managing a few government programmes such as the Enaya health insurance scheme for Government of Dubai employees and their dependents since the past 10 years.
Al Qutami added that this partnership also reflects the DHA’s focus on supporting and encouraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the health sector.
Al Mutaiwei said, “We are privileged to have been entrusted by the DHA to administer the prestigious Saada programme and commit to serving all citizens of the emirate of Dubai with utmost care and sincerity.”
Neuron’s network comprises of over 2000 providers with direct billing services within the UAE. In addition, through its strategic partners, its international network of healthcare providers is over 800,000 providers.
Using an Emirates ID card, nationals can self-register themselves at Saada kiosks. The process takes less than five minutes and users have an option of registering their family members as well. Once registered, they can use their insurance immediately and an Emirate ID card is sufficient. They do not need a separate insurance card.
The kiosks are available at the DHA headquarters, the Dubai Health Insurance Corporation at Al Mamzhar, Hatta Hospital and select DHA primary healthcare centres.
Users can download a Saada app, which has a plethora of services. The app informs them about the programme, details related to healthcare providers within the network; it allows members to submit a reimbursement claim and provides details of self-check kiosks that are closest to their location.
