{"id":586381,"date":"2023-05-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/hardhats\/where-the-governments-universal-healthcare-coverage-currently-stands\/"},"modified":"2023-05-10T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T00:00:00","slug":"where-the-governments-universal-healthcare-coverage-currently-stands","status":"publish","type":"hardhat","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/hardhats\/where-the-governments-universal-healthcare-coverage-currently-stands\/","title":{"rendered":"Where the government\u2019s universal healthcare coverage currently stands"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span>How far along is the government\u2019s universal healthcare coverage scheme?<\/span> We <\/span>previously<\/a><\/span>broke down<\/a><\/span> the Madbouly government\u2019s vision for <\/span>how the universal<\/span> healthcare <\/span>ins<\/span>. scheme will pan out once it\u2019s fully rolled out across the country by 2032. The scheme \u2014 which is designed to provide healthcare coverage for all citizens, regardless of their income bracket \u2014 is being rolled out across several phases, after the process <\/span>kicked<\/a><\/span>off in<\/a><\/span>2019<\/a><\/span>. Today, we look at where the system currently stands, and the kinks that still need to be ironed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where things stand geographically:<\/span> The scheme is currently operational in Port Said and <\/span>Luxor, and is being trialed in South Sinai and Ismailia. The trial phase will also extend to Aswan and Suez within weeks, according to the scheme\u2019s <\/span>Facebook page<\/a><\/span>. In each governorate, individuals registered to the scheme have access to several primary healthcare units, primary care centers, specialized hospitals, fully integrated hospitals, diagnostics labs, pharmacies, and\/or optometry centers.<\/span><\/p>\n

The availability of each type of service varies across governorates.<\/span> For example, Menoufia<\/span> and Dakahlia currently only have one full-fledged hospital available under the program in each governorate, while Suez and Beheira only have diagnostics labs. Other governorates \u2014 including Port Said, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Giza \u2014 have a wider range of services available.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who\u2019s doing what:<\/span> The broad majority of the service providers currently available in these<\/span> governorates are operated by the Universal Healthcare Ins. Authority (UHIS), but a small handful are also operated by the Suez Canal Authority and the private sector. Among the private sector providers: Almokhtabar Labs, Alborg Labs, Cure Lab, Egypt Biolabs, and Alfa Labs, in addition to private sector-run hospitals, such as Shefaa Al Orman Oncology Hospital, Elaraby Hospital, and Misr International Hospital\u2019s ophthalmology unit in Dokki, among others. <\/span><\/p>\n

So far, it\u2019s unclear how private health ins. providers will be looped into the<\/span> healthcare system:<\/span> There is still a lack of clarity on \u201cthe process of setting and revising the provider payment methods,\u201d a policy research paper (pdf) notes. Private providers such as <\/span>Axa Egypt<\/a><\/span> have signed cooperation agreements with the General Authority for Healthcare (GAH) to extend the providers\u2019 coverage to a broader network of service providers. But as it currently stands, there are no private ins. providers looped into the universal coverage system, according to a World Health Organization representative who spoke to Enterprise on the condition of anonymity. <\/span><\/p>\n

How could the system handle payments to private ins. providers?<\/span> The private sector is in<\/span> talks with the government and is hoping to enact legislative changes to the Universal Healthcare Act that would clearly outline their role in the coverage system, and how payments will be handled, <\/span>Al Mal<\/a><\/span> previously reported. One suggestion on the table is for the law to allow for dual coverage, whereby citizens can have both private ins. coverage and register with the government\u2019s universal healthcare system, according to Ins. Federation of Egypt Chairman Alaa El Zoheiry. This proposal would, if implemented, see private ins. services offered at lower price points since the GAH would incur parts of the cost, El Zoheiry said. <\/span><\/p>\n

By the numbers:<\/span> Some 4.5 mn people have registered on the system to date, a UHIA official<\/span> who requested to remain unnamed told Enterprise. The number of government medical facilities authorized to join the system has reached 156, while there are currently 108 private sector facilities under the system, the source added. Some 17 mn medical services have been provided since the program was rolled out, including 256k surgeries, 8 mn family-medicine services, and 2 mn checkups, the source told us. <\/span><\/p>\n

UHIA has reeled in a total of EGP 72.8 bn in revenues from the launch of the system until<\/span> December 2022<\/span>, with a total surplus of c. EGP 67 bn, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait <\/span>said earlier this year<\/a><\/span>. The authority paid EGP 3.4 bn in return for the medical ins. services offered by service providers who are part of the coverage network, Maait added.<\/span><\/p>\n

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