Exploring the Role of TPA and Health Insurance in the Health Status of UAE Population

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Exploring the role of TPA and health insurance in the health status of UAE
population
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Executive Summary
United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates. The discovery of oil
influenced massive economic growth in UAE. This growth bolstered massive influx of
migrant workers leading to a huge change in the demography. Increase in the
population along with increase in the number of immigrants caused high rate of
disease occurrence in UAE and this in turn lead to the increase in health care costs.
In order to reduce this escalating cost of health care, government of UAE introduced
mandatory health insurance. The rationale of the research is to elucidate the
problems experienced by the people of UAE while availing the benefits of the health
insurance policies. The research will also aim to highlight the possible health benefits
or health threats experienced by the UAE population who are under the health
insurance schemes. In this research work, the researcher will follow the research
philosophy of positivism with a deductive approach. The researcher will select
stratified sampling method The overall research design is descriptive type design.
Qualitative analysis method will be undertaken in order to analyse the answers of the
respondents in the interview.

2RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
Section 1.......................................................................................................................3
1.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................3
1.2 Rationale.............................................................................................................4
1.3 Aims and Objectives...........................................................................................6
1.4 Research question..............................................................................................6
1.5 Theoretical framework of the research...............................................................7
Section 2...................................................................................................................8
2.0 Literature Review................................................................................................8
2.1 Summary and gaps in the research..................................................................14
Section 3.................................................................................................................17
3.1 Research Methodology.....................................................................................17
3.2 Sampling...........................................................................................................17
3.3 Method of data collection..................................................................................18
3.4 Time Plan of the research.................................................................................18
3.4 Research ethics................................................................................................18
References.................................................................................................................19
Appendix 1..................................................................................................................22
Gantt Chart..............................................................................................................22
Appendix 2..................................................................................................................24
Questionnaire..........................................................................................................24

3RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Section 1
1.1 Introduction
United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates (Abu Dhabi,
Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Dubai) and was
established in the year 1971. The discovery of oil influenced massive economic
growth in UAE. This growth bolstered massive influx of migrant workers leading to a
huge change in the demography with a majority being of pre-retirement (Suliman and
Al-Junaibi 2010). This high influx of workers caused high population growth in UAE
(Al-Jenaibi 2017). According to the census data, the population of UAE is highest in
the world with 95% of population are less than 50 years old and male: female ratio is
3:1 (U.A.E National Bureau of Statistics 2012).
Increase in the population along with increase in the number of immigrants
caused high rate of disease occurrence in UAE and this in turn lead to the increase
in health care costs. The cost of the both the amount paid by the insured person and
insurance company has increases significantly in UAE. In order to reduce this
escalating cost of health care, government of UAE introduced mandatory health
insurance (Loney et al. 2013). Under the “Thiqa Program”, the government of Abu
Dhabi provides comprehensive medical coverage for all UAE nationals residing in
Abu Dhabi (The Official Portal of the UAE Government 2017). Under this scheme,
the citizens are assigned with the “Thiqa” card, which grants complete health therapy
access to a huge group of private and public healthcare providers who are registered
under Daman’s network. However, in order to qualify for the “Thiqa Program”, UAE
national under the age bracket of 18 to 75 years are required to pass through

4RESEARCH PROPOSAL
“Weqaya” test conducted by Department of Health, Abu Dhabi. This screening is
done in order to identify the cardiovascular risk factors (The Official Portal of the
UAE Government 2017).
Apart from this, in the year 2015, UAE government has also launched new
health insurance program. This program was designed to support the nationals who
are not covered under any government funded health insurance schemes (United
Arab Emirates Healthcare Service 2016). The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in June
2016 announced that all the residents of Dubai should be covered under the health
insurance that will be tied to renewal and issuance of their UAE residence visa
(United Arab Emirates Healthcare Service 2016).
Moreover, the government of UAE has made it is mandatory norms for the
employers to provide health insurance to their employees along with their
dependents. There are currently two emirates, which mandate the employers to
provide coverage of health insurance to their employees, Dubai and Abu Dhabi (The
National. 2016). Dubai’s Employer Sponsored Health Insurance Scheme for
company employees, faces trouble while regulating scheme under the influence of
the economic downturn. This is because in Dubai it is mandatory for employers to
pay for the medical insurance to all the dependents including the domestic worker.
The scenario is different in Abu Dhabi, which has strictly enforced the employer
sponsored medical insurance scheme (The National. 2016). However, if the
employee has a big family then the onus of the employer only bears up to the fourth
child (The National. 2016).

5RESEARCH PROPOSAL
1.2 Rationale
Rule of health insurance in UAE are different. In Abu Dhabi there are two
insurance schemes one is Thiqa for Emirates and another one is Abu Dhabi Basic
Plan for expatriates, bestowed by the National Health Insurance Company (Daman).
In Dubai, there is Essential Benefits Plan, which is procured by 12 companies. In
Abu Dhabi, all the employees who are under Abu Dhabi Basic Plan are required to
pay half of the insurance policy in order to get premium service for their dependents
(wife and children). However, they are required to bear the cost of their dependent
parents (The National 2016). According to law of UAE, the maximum amount of
insured coverage in Dubai is Dh150,000 and in Abu Dhabi is Dh250,000. However,
this overage plan may not include emergency or ongoing treatment and also exclude
dental, vaccination eye care costs (The National 2016).
However, in the midst of numerous insurance policies and their different
norms, the people of 7 different emirates lack a clear picture of the insurance plans,
their premium schemes and the extent of coverage. Despite the claims made by the
Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the majority of low income workers lack the
clear approach about their health insurance rights (Zaman, 2010). Although they are
happy with the government policy to provide health insurance coverage but they are
confused with the concept of network of coverage that is clinic or hospitals they
should visit (Zaman 2010).
So the rationale of the research is to elucidate the problems experienced by
the people of UAE while availing the benefits of the health insurance policies. The
research will also aim to highlight the possible health benefits or health threats
experienced by the UAE population who are under the health insurance schemes. At
the end the research will try to recommend the potential ways in which this gap