Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A recent report published by Mercer Marsh Benefits, the world leader in risk, cost, and employee benefits management, highlights the expectations of health insurance companies operating in the Middle East and Africa to increase the annual costs of health claims by 10.1% in 2022, Compared to 9.5% in 2021.
The report, entitled “Health Trends from Mercer Marsh Benefits” surveyed the opinions of about 210 global health insurance companies, and investigated the main trends that affect the future of employer-provided medical care benefits.
Based on the research, 62% of insurance companies operating in the Middle East and Africa Region Health claims activity in the region is still above pre-pandemic levels and continues its upward trend, surpassing the global figure of 41%.
31% of the survey respondents indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic was among the three main reasons for the high costs and recurrence of financial claims in the Middle East and Africa in 2021, closely approaching global data (34%).
As a result, one in five insurance companies (21%) globally has serious inclinations to adopt extended Covid-19 exceptions, while 8% have already modified their policies to include pandemic-related exceptions, while more than a third (34%) have invoked With restrictions imposed due to the extended Covid conditions.
In this context, Julio Villalon Garcia, President of Mercer Marsh Benefits in the Middle East and Africa, said: “While it is difficult to predict the path that the Covid-19 pandemic will take, it is clear that its impact on employers’ health care programs continues for years to come, and has included the effects of the pandemic. Also, the way people interact with healthcare systems and act in relation to managing their health has become increasingly important for employers to encourage their employees to embrace preventive care through important initiatives such as annual health check-ups and safety programs.”
