The Ministry of Health announced today that the co-payment required from individuals earning an income of more than MVR 60,000 per month when seeking medical treatment from places other than government hospitals has been set at 15 percent of the medical treatment expenditure.

According to an announcement issued by the ministry today, collection of money under this rule will commence starting next January.

According to the announcement, although it was decided that a 15 percent co-payment must be paid when seeking services from private hospitals and clinics, high earners will not be excluded when sending patients abroad for treatment under Aasandha.

The announcement also stated that doctors and medical field technical staff, pilots and aviation field technical staff, as well as engineers and science-based field technical staff, will be exempt from the rule requiring individuals earning an income of more than MVR 60,000 per month to pay a co-payment.

The decision to arrange for individuals earning more than MVR 60,000 per month as income not to receive full Aasandha coverage was made among the changes brought to reform the Aasandha system.

During a press conference held at the President's Office last September, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated that Aasandha is currently provided as full coverage without any distinction between the wealthiest person and the poorest person, and that he does not believe this is the best approach.

Therefore, the President stated that individuals earning an income of more than MVR 60,000 per month will henceforth receive Aasandha under a "co-pay" and "pre-pay" system, or by paying a fee to the government every year.

The President stated that with this change, MVR 287 million will be saved annually from the state budget and can be spent on other matters required by the citizens.