Article 3 of the Saudi Cooperative Health Insurance Law
المادة 3 من نظام الضمان الصحي التعاوني
Anyone who sponsors a resident must subscribe to cooperative health insurance for him, and a residence permit is not granted or renewed without a policy covering the period of residence.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع مُراعاة مراحِل التطبيق المُشار إليها في الفقرة (ب) من المادة الخامسة، وما تقضي بِه المادتان الثانية عشرة والثالثة عشرة مِن هذا النِظام، يلتزم كُل من يكفل مُقيماً بأن يشترِك لصالِحه في الضمان الصحي التعاوني.
ولا يجوز منح رُخصة الإقامة، أو تجديدِها إلا بعد الحصول على وثيقة الضمان الصحي التعاوني، على أن تُغطي مُدتِها مُدة الإقامة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 3 explained in plain English
This article is one of the most important in the Law in practice, and it contains two provisions:
First: the sponsor's obligation to subscribe. Anyone who sponsors a resident is obliged to subscribe for him to cooperative health insurance. But this obligation is applied subject to three matters the article specifies:
- The stages of application referred to in paragraph (b) of Article 5, which are the stages the Council of Health Insurance determines by its decisions.
- Article 12, which provides that employees of government entities who are covered by the Law, and their family members, are treated in government health facilities, where they are contracted directly with these entities and under their sponsorship and their contracts state their right to treatment.
- Article 13.
Second: linking residence to the policy. A residence permit may not be granted or renewed until the cooperative health insurance policy has been obtained, on condition that the period of the policy covers the period of residence. A policy that ends before the residence ends is not enough.
It follows from Article 2 that coverage includes those to whom the Law applies and their family members as the Council of Health Insurance determines. This Council, which Article 4 establishes under the chairmanship of the Minister of Health, supervises the application of the Law.
Anyone who is a sponsor or sponsored and has a problem with subscription or renewal of residence would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in health insurance cases.
Practical example
A contracting company in Dammam sponsors a resident worker whose residence is about to expire and wants to renew it for one year. The company must subscribe for the worker to cooperative health insurance, and his residence is not renewed until a policy is obtained whose period covers the period of the new residence.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 3 of the Saudi Cooperative Health Insurance Law
Must a sponsor arrange health insurance for the worker?
Yes. Anyone who sponsors a resident is obliged to subscribe for him to cooperative health insurance, subject to the stages of application and Articles 12 and 13.
Can residence be renewed without health insurance?
No. A residence permit may not be granted or renewed until the cooperative health insurance policy has been obtained.
Must the insurance period match the residence period?
Yes. The period of the policy must cover the period of residence.
Do expatriate government employees need insurance?
Article 12 is taken into account: it provides for their treatment in government health facilities where they are contracted directly with these entities and under their sponsorship and their contracts state their right to treatment.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 5
The article sets the powers of the Council of Health Insurance in supervising the Law's application, including preparing the regulations, setting stages, covered persons and contribution rates, qualifying insurers and accrediting facilities.
يتولى مجلِس الضمان الصحي الإشراف على تطبيق هذا النِظام، ولهُ على وجه الخصوص ما يأتي: أ - إعداد مشروع اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا النِظام. ب - إصدار القرارات اللازِمة
- Article 12
Employees of government entities covered by the Law, and their families, are treated in government health facilities if they are contracted directly with those entities and under their sponsorship and their contracts state a right to treatment.
يكون علاج العاملين في الجِهات الحُكومية المشمولين بهذا النِظام وأفراد أُسرِهم في المرافِق الصحية الحُكومية متى كانوا مُتعاقدين مُباشرة مع هذه الجِهات وتحت كفالت
- Article 13
The Council of Health Insurance may, by decision, exempt institutions and companies that own qualified private medical institutions from subscribing for the services they provide to their personnel.
يجوز بقرار مِن مجلِس الضمان الصحي إعفاء المؤسسات والشركات التي تملك مؤسسات طبية خاصة مؤهلة من الاشتِراك في الضمان الصحي التعاوني عن الخدمات التي تُقدِّمُها لمنس
More articles on Employer's Health Insurance Subscription
- Article 8
The employer may expand cooperative health insurance services through additional appendices at additional cost to include diagnostic and treatment services beyond those in Article 7.
يجوز لصاحِب العمل توسيع مجال خدمات الضمان الصحي التعاوني ،بموجب ملاحِق إضافية، وبتكلِفة إضافية لتشمل خدمات تشخيصية وعلاجية أُخرى أكثر مِّما نُص عليه في المادة ا
- Article 10
The employer bears the cost of treating the insured beneficiary in the period between the date the treatment becomes due and the date of subscription to cooperative health insurance.
يتحمل صاحِب العمل تكاليف عِلاج المُستفيد مِن الضمان في الفترة التي تنقضي بين تاريخ استِحقاق العِلاج وتاريخ الاشتِراك في الضمان الصحي التعاوني.
- Article 13
The Council of Health Insurance may, by decision, exempt institutions and companies that own qualified private medical institutions from subscribing for the services they provide to their personnel.
يجوز بقرار مِن مجلِس الضمان الصحي إعفاء المؤسسات والشركات التي تملك مؤسسات طبية خاصة مؤهلة من الاشتِراك في الضمان الصحي التعاوني عن الخدمات التي تُقدِّمُها لمنس
- Article 15
A resident who is not under a work sponsorship takes the employer's place in the obligations the employer would otherwise bear under the Cooperative Health Insurance Law.
يحل المُقيم غير المشمول بكفالة عمل محل صاحِب العمل في الالتِزامات المُترتِبة على هذا الأخير بموجب هذا النِظام.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.