People earning more than MVR 60,000 a month will have to pay a 15 percent co-payment when they use Aasandha, the state health insurance scheme, at private health facilities from 1 January 2027, the Ministry of Health said on 31 October.
The co-payment applies only at private clinics, hospitals and pharmacies registered with the Aasandha scheme, and at providers of optical and prosthetic services, the ministry said. No such fee will be charged to people who seek treatment at government health centres and hospitals.
According to the ministry, the decision was made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to strengthen Aasandha and reduce waste. It said the rules on collecting co-payments under Aasandha have been published in the government gazette.
Who is exempt
Some high earners are exempt from the rule as part of efforts to build and retain people in technical fields the country needs, the ministry said. The exemptions cover:
Doctors and technical staff in the medical field
Pilots and technical staff in aviation
Engineers and technical staff in science-based fields
Speaking at a press conference at the President's Office in September, Muizzu said Aasandha should not give the same full coverage to the richest and the poorest. He said people earning more than MVR 60,000 a month would receive Aasandha through co-pay or pre-pay arrangements, as part of a policy to reduce state spending.
The president told journalists the change would save the state budget about MVR 287 million a year, the ministry said. He said the money saved could be spent on other basic needs of citizens and on social development.