Insurance Coverage of Nutritional Supplements, Vitamins and Minerals According to Essential Medical Need: Emirates Insurance Association Chairman Confirms Policy.

The Chairman of the Health Insurance Committee at the Emirates Insurance Association, Abdul Mohsen Jaber, confirmed that the commitment of insurance companies to cover nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals is linked to their being an essential and indispensable part in the treatment of medical conditions, and otherwise the patient bears its cost.

He added, in response to inquiries received by «Emirates Today» in this regard: «The basic treatment in some diseases and cases is a nutritional supplement, such as cases of (anemia), or the need to take vitamins and minerals as is the case during pregnancy and childbirth for women, and here supplements and vitamins become a treatment that does not It can be replaced, or not taken, so insurance companies cover it and approve it directly.”

He continued, “As for mild disease cases in which these drugs are complementary and side-by-side, and not essential, the companies do not cover them, and the patient bears their full cost.”

Jaber explained: “The principle in supplements and vitamins is that they are excluded and not covered by insurance companies, but due to their importance in treatment in some cases, it is permissible to cover them in full or a percentage of the price, according to the terms of the policy and the benefits included in it.”

And he continued: «The reference for cases in which this type of treatment is covered, although it is originally excluded, is that there is a danger in not taking it, whether for the health of the mother or the fetus for women, or for patients with osteoporosis, for example, such as the presence of a large percentage of iron deficiency, and others. One of the cases that pose a threat to public health, and here it is necessary for companies to agree to insurance coverage.

He added: «There are many pathological conditions that require taking supplements, whether for children or adults, and there is great cooperation between insurance companies, hospitals and medical service providers, to ensure clarity of reason for their use, as an indispensable basic treatment, or just a complementary addition. Not taking it, or leaving the choice to the patient himself, to buy it at his own expense or leave it.

Insurance companies do not cover nutritional supplements in mild cases.