Maternity Complications: Is an Essential Benefits Plan Enough?
The Essential Benefits Plan, legally mandated for everyone residing in Dubai, provides coverage for standard pregnancy costs, but when it comes to maternity complications, the coverage is still limited and may lead to high out-of-pocket costs.
In this Pacific Prime Dubai article, we detail the minimum level of benefits concerning basic maternal care in Dubai and further explore some potential coverage in case any complications arise.
Basic Maternity Care in the Essential Benefits Plan
Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) is the minimum level of benefits that a health insurance plan must legally provide, according to the Dubai Health Authority. Where maternity care is concerned, Essential Benefits Plans has mandated an amount of coverage that must be included as follows:
| Benefits | Details |
| Out-patient antenatal services
(10% copayment) |
|
| In-patient maternity services
(10% copayment with coverage limit) |
|
| Newborn insurance coverage
(30 days after birth) |
|
While the Healthcare Law does a good job of addressing the primary concerns in pre- and post-pregnancy, there is still room for concern.
Insurance Coverage for Maternity Complications
Even though the EBP plan provides coverage for the standard costs that come along with pregnancy, labor, and delivery, in the case of high-risk pregnancy, additional insurance coverage may be necessary.
Costs of High-risk Pregnancy
As mentioned, an AED 10,000 limit on the coverage of delivery with complications can be concerning for some parents. After the AED 7,000 is paid out for a standard delivery, the AED 3,000 left is likely to not be enough to address costs stemming from complications.
In the UAE, high-risk pregnancy, which can arise from preexisting health conditions, maternal age, and unhealthy lifestyle, is a growing concern. According to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), gestational diabetes, for instance, affects 10-24% of pregnancies.
With gestational diabetes, high sugar levels in the mother’s bloodstream can lead to an overweight baby, complicating delivery and putting both the mother and the baby at risk. In addition, children born to women with gestational diabetes are at high risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
There are still many types of pregnancy and delivery complications that affect the mother, the baby, or both. Some of these include:
- Fetal distress
- Placenta previa
- Malposition
- Excessive bleeding
- Shoulder dystocia
- Perinatal asphyxia
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Miscarriage
If any of these complications or more arise during pregnancy and childbirth that require additional medical treatments, the costs may significantly increase to between AED 20,000 and AED 50,000 (USD 5,445 to USD 13,614).
While these figures are only estimates and may vary depending on hospitals, it seems unlikely that the additional AED 3,000 (USD 816.85) provided by the Essential Benefits Plan will adequately address costs related to complications, thereby leaving the family on the hook to cover the difference.
Additional Insurance Coverage for Maternity
In Dubai, there are a variety of maternity health insurance plans available to support the parents-to-be and ensure that they will be covered under all circumstances.
These plans typically include prenatal care, childbirth, and newborn care coverage and provide AED 20,000–AED 30,000 (USD 5,445–USD 8,169) for all pregnancy costs. While some insurers do not require a waiting period, others may impose a waiting time of up to 12 months for maternity-related claims.
Fortunately, certain providers offer immediate coverage. Expecting mothers, however, must declare their pregnancy to the insurer at the time of the application and may be subject to an additional premium. Failure to do so might result in denied claims.
Once the plan is active, it will start protecting the insured from any complications that may occur before and after pregnancy, providing peace of mind throughout the maternity journey.
Still, it is strongly recommended that those looking to start or expand their family, especially when dealing with international pregnancy, plan well ahead and secure comprehensive health insurance to avoid paying additional fees.
Getting the Protection You Need
While people residing in the UAE all have access to Essential Benefits Plans, many likely have to purchase additional health insurance to get the level of coverage they need, especially for those married and planning to build a family.
As an international health insurance broker with 25 years of experience, Pacific Prime Dubai can assist you in finding the right maternity health insurance or tailoring an international health insurance plan to best suit your budget and needs.
Let us be a part of your special journey. Contact us today for unbiased advice and free quote comparisons!
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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