Mandatory health insurance arrives in the Northern Emirates

From 1 January 2025, a federal mandate requires employers to provide health insurance to all private-sector employees and domestic workers in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah — emirates governed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP).

The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation with the ICP and MOHAP. A basic package is priced at around AED 320 a year, with an enhanced option covering up to AED 50,000 for inpatient and AED 10,000 for outpatient care.

More covered lives in the Northern Emirates means more claims flowing through MOHAP and Riayati — and more denials to work. Providers operating across emirates increasingly want one workspace that reconciles and resubmits across DHA, DOH and MOHAP rather than three separate processes.