PM, deputies discuss mechanism for health insurance for elderly

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki and members of the Lower House Finance Committee agreed on Sunday on a mechanism to provide universal health insurance for elderly Jordanians, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Under the mechanism, Jordanians who are above 70 years old are already insured, while those over 60 will be included next year. 

In four to five years, all Jordanians will have insurance, Petra reported.

During the meeting, Mulki and the committee discussed several issues, including the draft 2016 state budget law and the bill governing the budget of independent government units. 

As for medical exemptions for the treatment of uninsured patients, Mulki said that to support the budget, the government worked on avoiding any additional spending, but it has increased capital spending in cooperation with the private sector.

The government will continue granting exemptions, but the process will be regulated in a way that only unprivileged people who are uninsured will be exempted, Mulki said.

He stressed that any uninsured Jordanian will be treated for free at public hospitals, and in case the suitable treatment is unavailable at public hospitals, the government has to provide an alternative.