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We Discuss The New Mandated Health Insurance Law In Oman

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Health insurance is a contract that requires an insurer to pay some or all of a person’s healthcare costs in exchange for a premium.

The Capital Markets Authority in Oman, the financial regulator, has released the new mandated medical insurance Law, Unified Health Insurance Policy and the Health Insurance Rules under Decision No.78/2019 through Resolution No 34/2019 – For the Issue of Unified Healthcare Insurance Policy Form.

The Health insurance market embraces itself for another mandated health insurance law in the Sultanate of Oman. Residents in Oman will be required to have in place a minimum level of medical insurance coverage with minimum benefits pursuant to the prescribed provisions of Resolution No. 34 of 2019 For the Issue of Unified Healthcare Insurance Policy Form, which was issued by the CMA as at 24 March 2019 and is now in force.

The application of the Law is relevant to the employer market and the beneficiaries arising from those relationships including employer, employee and dependents.

The Policy must be completed and submitted by the Insured as a legal obligation. The Law, as currently prescribed, addresses application, coverage, mandatory minimum benefits and claims management.

Chapter Two is of interest, as the preamble defines a wide interpretation of what shall constitute the contract of health insurance, which includes all basic information, details and common practices in healthcare insurance contracts, etc. Insurers will need to take care of their pre-contractual documents, as these could for all intents and purposes unintentionally constitute the contract of insurance. Chapter Two further sets out the general terms and conditions, placing obligations on the insured to disclose correct and accurate information.

The Code of Conduct for Insurance Business issued by the CMA requires insurers to inform insureds of their duty to disclose relevant information. Omani Law, therefore, applies the duty of utmost good faith. Chapter Two also prescribes the excluded conditions from the coverage under the Policy.

The overall combined limit under the Policy is OR 4,500 in terms of financial spend, so surprisingly much lower than the United Arab Emirates and KSA mandated schemes. Inpatient treatment limits for the policy year is capped at OMR 3,000 and includes usual basic cover, i.e. admission in hospital or day-care, cost of treatment, room cost, consultant fees, diagnosis and test, medicine, ambulance cost and companion cost, also including the cost for pre-existing and chronic conditions for in-patient treatment, while the latter is excluded for out-patient treatment.

Hospital admission under the Policy must be in a joint room and is limited to 30 days at each instance, whereas the ambulance cover is limited at OR 100 each trip. Outpatient treatment is limited to OR 500 for each policy year and the cover is limited to consultancy fees, diagnosis and tests, pharmacy fees and lab fees. Additionally, the Policy includes the cost of repatriating a deceased beneficiary to their country of origin, for which a limit of OR 1000 has been allocated.

Any departure from the basic benefits is not permitted unless agreed as a Schedule to the Policy and signed by both parties and should additional benefits be opted for by the insured, they must be set out in the Optional Benefit Schedule format provided in Appendix 3 to the Law.

Appendix 4 to the Law sets out the mandatory basic minimum coverage under the Policy, which provides two options to the Insured based on which premium will be determined by the Insurer. While both options have the same coverage terms and limits, the first option provides for deductibles on certain categories and the second option does not require deductibles to be paid by the beneficiary.

The deductibles on the first option are limited to outpatient treatment only and are set at 10% for medicine, subject to the limit of OR 5 per visit and 15% for consultancy fees, diagnosis and lab fee for providers within network and at 30% for Providers outside the network.

While the Middle East insurance market is to a large extent geared up for the new mandated health insurance requirements in Oman based on previous experiences with the KSA and United Arab Emirates markets, they should no doubt see the opportunities for top over coverage in Oman given that the minimum coverage is very basic in nature.

Of interest, Oman has not applied licensing for third party claims administrators at present, which also presents opportunities in this market.

The New Bankruptcy Regime In Oman

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Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor.

Prior to the recent passing of the Omani Royal Decree No 53/2019, Oman law contained limited legislation governing the area of bankruptcy.

The Commercial Law issued by the Royal Decree No 55/1990 and the Commercial Companies Law issued by the Royal Decree No 4/1974 and their related amendments continued to provide the framework for the bankruptcy of traders and liquidation of insolvent companies, until the passing of this new Bankruptcy Law.

This new law, which will come into effect from July 1st 2020, sees the formation of new progressive rules and regulations. These provisions will apply to traders with the aim of improving the methods and measures that are to be taken following a bankruptcy.

The key three provisions that have been introduced include the restructuring procedure, preventive composition, and bankruptcy.

1. Restructuring

A significant new provision introduced by the Bankruptcy Law includes the concept of restructuring. This is a brand new mechanism proposed for the traders in financial difficulties. Restructuring involves proceedings that may assist the trader debtor to overcome a financial and administrative disorder, by way of settling the debtor’s debts via a restructuring plan.

This is overseen by a restructuring committee, which is formed of experts that are registered on the Roll and are defined to include a sufficient number of persons, offices, and companies specialised in the restructuring field. The experts will be sought by the Competent Department at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and required to examine petitions for restructuring and the handling of the petitioner’s assets.

This method is aimed to help prevent traders from going into liquidation, by way of creating a settlement of the traders’ debts with its creditors. The procedure enforces strict and fast deadlines and requirements for the petition to be accepted and can only be submitted where it is found that the debtor has not committed any act of fraud and has practiced the business continuously during the two years before the filing of the petition.

2. Preventive Composition

The second method includes Preventive Composition, whereby the trade debtor may apply for in situations when there is a disruption in the debtor’s financial situation, which is likely to lead into an interruption of the payment of the debtor’s debts. This method can be sought with the aim to achieve a settlement with creditors to avoid bankruptcy. Unlike the method of bankruptcy, creditors are unable to apply for a petition of Preventive Composition.

During the time of Preventive Composition, the trader can continue to administer the property and undertake acts in the everyday course of business. A composition trustee will be appointed by the court, who must help oversee the Preventive Composition process, such as the gathering of creditors and the publishing of the summary.

Where a Preventive Composition application succeeds, the Judge will require a majority vote of consent by the creditors, in which their approval must accumulate to two-third of the verified debts. For a secured creditor, they may not vote unless they give up their rights as secured creditors. In situations where the company has issued bonds or sukuks and the outstanding amount of bonds exceeds more than one-third of the total outstanding debts, the composition will require further approval from the general assembly of the holders of the bonds or sukuks.

3. Bankruptcy

The third method includes filing for bankruptcy. Any trader who may have stopped payment of his commercial debts due to the interruption of his commercial business may submit a petition in bankruptcy. For a petition to be submitted, it must be made within fifteen days from the date of cessation of payments and must include the reasons for the cessation and the appropriate documents, including statements of property and expenses. The Court may also prompt the decision of bankruptcy for a trader. Where a submission for bankruptcy is made, the trader company requires the approval of the majority of its shareholders.

Bankruptcy claims are examined by the Court, who will in turn, take precautionary measures against assets of the trader debtors to preserve the assets of the trader. The Court will also appoint a liquidator, who will be the official receiver to oversee the insolvency proceedings. They will be in control of overseeing the management of assets of the debtor trader.

The liquidator will also be in charge of publishing a summary of settlement in the Commercial Register and the invitation of creditors. They must ensure that the bankrupt person cannot manage or dispose of any property, pay any debts or retrieve any amounts that are owed to him.

4. Penalties

With the new Law, there is now enforcement of penalties for rejected petitions by the Court. In circumstances where the Court believes the trader has deliberately claimed bankruptcy, the petitioner can be found sentenced to a financial penalty.

The Law also enforces an imprisonment sentence, where they are found acting in bad faith, through methods of concealment, inducement or neglects to include a creditor.

Conclusion

The new Bankruptcy Law continues to promote investment in Oman, by helping to ensure transparency to both foreign and local investors. The New law will impact the working of companies by providing a base to seek a remedy in circumstances of bankruptcy, helping to provide more suitable conditions for companies to grow.

The new Law also enables debtors the opportunity to rehabilitate by being given the chance to pay all due amounts and expenses owed to creditors.

Oman – Mandatory Health Insurance is on its way

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The Health insurance market embraces itself for another mandated health insurance law in the Sultanate of Oman. Residents in Oman will be required to have in place a minimum level of medical insurance coverage with minimum benefits pursuant to the prescribed provisions of Resolution No 34 of 2019 For the Issue of Unified Healthcare Insurance Policy Form, which was issued by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) as at 24 March 2019 and is now in force (“the Law”).

The application of the Law is relevant to the employer market and the beneficiaries arising from those relationships including employer, employee and dependents.

The Law applies and has adopted a “Basic Benefits” and “Optional Benefits” coverage, standard form “Policy Schedule” for parties’ signature and a standard “Insurance Application” for pre contractual disclosure requirements.

Chapter One of the Law prescribes a “Unified Health Insurance Policy” (“the Policy”). Insured is defined as “natural or unnatural person responsible to pay the insurance premium” and Beneficiary has been defined as “employee or employee dependent to whom the Insurer performs the duties assigned by the provisions of this Policy”. Dependents have been defined to include employee’s legally wedded spouse, residing in Oman, children of the employee who under 21 years age and any other person who resides in Oman and is dependent on the employee. This may include the employee’s parents/other relatives based in Oman, house help or maid who is sponsored by the employee.

Insurer has been defined as “Insurance company licensed to practice health insurance business in the Sultanate” thereby clarifying that the Policy can’t be underwritten on non-admitted basis by foreign insurers, which provides welcome clarity to the market.

The Policy must be completed and submitted by the Insured as a legal obligation. The Law, as currently prescribed, addresses application, coverage, mandatory minimum benefits and claims management.

Chapter Two is of interest, as the preamble defines a wide interpretation of what shall constitute the contract of health insurance, which includes all basic information, details and common practices in healthcare insurance contracts etc. Insurers will need to take care with their pre-contractual documents, as these could for all intents and purposes unintentionally constitute the contract of insurance. Chapter Two further sets out the general terms and conditions, places obligations on the insured to disclose correct and accurate information. The Code of Conduct for Insurance Business issued by the CMA requires insurers to inform insureds of their duty to disclose relevant information. Omani Law therefore applies the duty of utmost good faith (uberrimae fidei). Chapter Two also prescribes the excluded conditions from the coverage under the Policy.

The overall combined limit under the Policy is OR 4,500 in terms of financial spend so surprisingly much lower that the UAE and KSA mandated schemes. Inpatient treatment limits for the policy year is capped at OMR 3,000 and includes usual basic cover, i.e. admission in hospital or daycare, cost of treatment, room cost, consultant fees, diagnosis and test, medicine, ambulance cost and companion cost, also including the cost for pre-existing and chronic conditions for in-patient treatment, while the latter is excluded for out-patient treatment.

Hospital admission under the Policy must be in a joint room and is limited to 30 days at each instance, whereas the ambulance cover is limited at OR 100 each trip. Outpatient treatment is limited to OR 500 for each policy year and the cover is limited to consultancy fees, diagnosis and tests, pharmacy fees and lab fee. Additionally, the Policy includes the cost of repatriating a deceased beneficiary to their country of origin, for which a limit of OR 1000 has been allocated.

Any departure from the basic benefits is not permitted unless agreed as a Schedule to the Policy and signed by both parties and should additional benefits be opted for by the insured, they must be set out in the Optional Benefit Schedule format provided in Appendix 3 to the Law.

The Law also sets out specific obligations on how it will be administered, some of which we set out below:

  • All Health Insurance Claim Management systems of the Providers must be compatible with the electronic claims system applicable in Oman;
  • Insurers will bear the cost of a medical Consultations only if there is prior referral from a licensed physician;
  • Providers must seek prior approval for all inpatient treatment and for all outpatient treatment where costs exceed OR 100, however in emergency cases treatment must start immediately;
  • For approvals, providers must upload all details in the online application and the insurer must respond within 30 minutes with a decision, failing which it will be deemed as approved;
  • Similarly, a Provider is also required to respond to any inquiries or observation by Insurer within 30 minutes of the inquiry/observation being made;
  • For all claims made outside the network, the Insured must make the claim within 120 days of the claim and insurer must compensate beneficiary within a period of 15 days of receiving documents in support of a claim; and
  • Whenever a claim is rejected by Insurer, the Insurer must provide to the Beneficiary, within 10 days of rejection a written statement highlighting the reasons for which the claim is rejected.

Appendix 4 to the Law sets out the mandatory basic minimum coverage under the Policy, which provides two options to the Insured based on which premium will be determined by the Insurer. While both options have the same coverage terms and limits, the first option provides for deductibles on certain categories and the second option does not require deductibles to be paid by the beneficiary. The deductibles on the first option are limited to outpatient treatment only and are set at 10% for medicine, subject to the limit of OR 5 per visit and 15% for consultancy fees, diagnosis and lab fee for providers within network (with a cap of OR 20 per visit) and at 30% for Providers outside the network (with no cap!).

While the Middle East insurance market is to a large extent geared up for the new mandated health insurance requirements in Oman based on previous experiences with the KSA and UAE markets, they should no doubt see the opportunities for top over coverage in Oman given that the minimum coverage is very basic in nature (i.e. no maternity coverage offered as a minimum benefit). Of interest, Oman has not applied licensing for third party claims administrators at present, which also presents opportunities in this market.

We anticipate many questions and clarifications around the Law both from insurers, reinsurers, intermediaries, third party administrator, clinical providers and others. BSA are well placed to provide support in this area with its expertise in health insurance laws and regulations and its Muscat law office.

If you would like to find out more information about BSA, please visit https://bsabh.com/