As the issue of patients entering hospitals has escalated, complications have arisen due to the immense disparities in hospital bills resulting from the devaluation of the national currency against the dollar and the rising prices of medical supplies and various goods including food, cleaning products, medications, and fuel. This has led to a decline in the value of health insurance policies. A solution has been reached to price insurance policies in US dollars, placing Lebanese citizens in a bind between paying in fresh dollars and maintaining the same level of healthcare services or reducing them.
In this context, the President of the Association of Insurance Companies, Eli Nasnas, explains to "Al-Markazia" that "insurance companies continue to apply healthcare pricing in fresh dollars. 90% of them charge the price of policies in fresh dollars, while a very small percentage charges only 60% of the policy price in fresh dollars. However, we must generally consider that all health insurances are now priced in dollars because the hospital bills have become denominated in cash dollars." Regarding the possibility of any changes in policy prices, he points out that "this is related to inflation and hospital prices, should they see further increases, but for the past two or three months, it does not seem that there will be any expected increases; if there are, they will be very minor." Nasnas emphasizes that "the insured person who pays their policy in fresh dollars does not bear any additional costs or pay out of pocket. We have communicated to customers and brokers that hospitals or doctors cannot charge those paying in cash dollars any additional amounts, and if there is any violation, the insured can file a complaint with the company or broker."
Nasnas does not deny that pricing in dollars has somewhat impacted the purchase of policies, "but most policies have downgraded, meaning that those who were buying a first-class policy have moved to the second class, especially given the reduced capability of the state, whether in social security or the ministry, to cover hospital bills, leaving citizens unprotected. Thus, they prefer to lower the level of the policy because what is important is that they receive care according to their financial ability." On the state of the insurance sector amid the current economic crisis, he affirms that "companies are affected by the economic cycle, but the most important thing for them is to ensure the continuity of the sector and serve customers despite the lack of profits; so far, they are able to continue in the struggle for sustainability. The private sector is trying to fill the existing gap as much as it can based on its capabilities."
