More than 70 percent of healthcare treatments in the UAE are funded out-of-pocket, according to one of the country’s first healthcare financing firms.
Pre-launch data sourced by Hayati Healthcare, which offers loans exclusively for medical procedures, revealed that more than two thirds of patients pay their health costs directly, rather than through private or employer-sponsored insurance plans, and in the absence of a national healthcare system.
Since its launch in March, the firm has funded a string of procedures including gastric banding, maternity costs and dental procedures for patients unable to claim through insurance, said its CEO and chairman Dr Michael Matly.
“Patient demand is building, we’ve processed 15 loans and more than 50 people have registered,” he said.
“When people are tight for cash or liquidity, they don’t necessarily want to pour their life savings into healthcare, but they do still want the procedure. We offer pay-as-you-go healthcare.”
The firm offers extended monthly payment plans for patients requiring elective and non-elective – such as cosmetic – procedures. Loans range from Dhs14,000 to Dhs150,000, and can be paid back over a period of 12 to 48 months.
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