Saudi Arabia COVID-19 treatment costs not covered for private care patients

Saudi Arabia will no longer bear COVID-19 treatment costs for the private sector.

The Council of Health Insurance (Dhaman) announced the state will no longer be bearing the COVID-19 treatment costs of private sector facilities in the Kingdom through a circular sent to approved healthcare service providers and qualified health insurance companies in Saudi Arabia.

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Patients admitted before the announcement on Sunday March 13 will still be taken care of by the state before they are transferred to public facilities under the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health with detailed medical reports and adequate accommodation.

In addition, Saudi Arabia will still be covering the costs of COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia or other breathing disorders that require constant oxygen. Outpatient COVID-19 symptom clinic costs will not be covered by the state unless hospitalisation is required.

The Council of Health Insurance stated that the COVID-19 treatment cost move is in light of the decreasing severity and number of COVID-19 cases.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia is still encouraging people to take their booster shot and get triple vaxxed.

Saudi Arabia also recently scrapped social distancing in schools. As of Saturday March 5, COVID-19 restrictions were amended to be: masks are no longer required in open spaces, social distancing is no longer required in all open and closed places like mosques, hotels, malls, and more.

Travelling to Saudi Arabia? Home quarantines have been removed for travellers to Kingdom.

cchi.gov.sa