President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has introduced a new rule to facilitate the transfer of patients to hospitals abroad as part of the Aasandha Insurance Scheme. This development fulfils one of the government’s promises made for its first 14 weeks in office.
The aim of these new changes is to streamline the process for providing bi-annual medical check-ups to every Maldivian citizen under the scheme, to set guidelines for covering the costs associated with transferring patients for treatments abroad, and to focus more on women’s health issues such as endometriosis and PCOS.
The National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) will oversee the implementation of these services.
Key provisions of the rule include covering the full cost of transferring patients for treatment abroad if the price change is less than 10 percent. However, if the cost exceeds this threshold, the additional expenses will be the responsibility of the patient.
Furthermore, if a patient switches hospitals after treatment begins and the same tests are repeated, these costs will also be borne by the patient. In cases where the hospital transfer involves travel to another city, the patient will be responsible for covering travel expenses.
