"Compulsory health insurance will be introduced for Qatar expatriates from 2016", 24 December 2015

The compulsory Social Medical Insurance scheme (Seha) only covers Qataris. The first phase, launched in July 2013, covered Qatari females aged 12 and above. The second phase launched in April 2014 included all Qatari citizens. The third phase, postponed from 2015, will make it compulsory for all expatriates to have health insurances, from a yet to be announced date in 2016. The big change is that instead of all cover being offered only by Seha, with private insurers locked out for a decade, the new options will only be offered by private health insurers, albeit on a very controlled basis. The real reason for this change may be that NHIC has struggled to operate Seha and control costs from some providers who saw a revenue opportunity, so would have faced challenges if it had to cover all expatriates too. There will be three separate approved packages: white-collar workers, blue-collar workers and domestic help. How these are defined is still in the melting pot. Cover will apply to families of workers too...