Dhaman (Health Assurance Hospitals Company) was set up to provide healthcare for private-sector expats in Kuwait through its own hospitals and clinics. As of October 2026 the scheme has still not started. Its announced premium is KD 130 a year per person, rising KD 20 every two years to a KD 190 cap. What expats actually pay today is the Ministry of Health insurance fee of KD 100 a year (doubled from KD 50 on 23 December 2025), paid with the residency. It gives access to government clinics and hospitals at subsidised charges, excluding dental and optical care.
On this page
- Health insurance for expats in Kuwait today (MOH scheme)
- How and when you pay the KD 100 health fee
- What is Dhaman?
- What Dhaman will change – when it launches
- Timeline: expat health insurance in Kuwait
- Who is covered by which scheme
- Using government clinics and hospitals as an expat
- Private health insurance on top of the MOH fee
- Family members, newborns and expired health cover
- Tips to keep healthcare costs down
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Health insurance for expats in Kuwait today (MOH scheme)
| Item | Amount / rule |
|---|---|
| Annual MOH health-insurance fee (Article 18 workers and dependants) | KD 100 per person, paid at residency issue or renewal |
| Agriculture, fishing and herding workers | KD 10 per year |
| Visitors | KD 5 per month of visa |
| Clinic visit at a primary health centre | KD 2 (with a valid health card) |
| Emergency room | KD 5; admission and surgery charged per the expat fee schedule (e.g. KD 10 per inpatient day) |
| Medicines from MOH pharmacies | Small per-item charges; chronic-disease medicines subsidised |
| Not covered | Dental (see dental appointments), optical, cosmetic, most private hospital care |
The health card is issued with the residency and linked to your Civil ID. You are registered with the primary health centre that serves your PACI address, so update your address after moving. Government employees (Article 17) and domestic workers (Article 20) are outside the planned Dhaman scheme and stay on the MOH system.
Charges at MOH facilities are reviewed from time to time. Check the current fee at the clinic reception or on the Ministry of Health’s official channels before a planned procedure.
How and when you pay the KD 100 health fee
- The fee is due whenever a residency is issued or renewed – for you and for each dependant.
- Your employer or sponsor pays it as part of the residency renewal, usually through Sahel or the employer’s government-services portal. Many employers pass the cost to the employee; check your contract.
- For family members on Article 22, the sponsor pays KD 100 per person when renewing their residency.
- Once paid and the residency is renewed, the health card is valid for the same period as the residency.
- Renew the Civil ID afterwards so the new expiry date shows on the card used at clinics.
What is Dhaman?
Dhaman, the Health Assurance Hospitals Company, is a public-private company created to take private-sector expats out of the crowded Ministry of Health system and into a separate network of hospitals and clinics funded by an annual premium. Once it starts, private-sector expats and their dependants would pay Dhaman instead of the MOH fee and receive care in Dhaman facilities.
| Facility | Status |
|---|---|
| Dhaman Ahmadi Hospital | Built, about 330 beds |
| Dhaman Jahra Hospital | Built, about 300 beds |
| Primary-care centres (Hawally, Farwaniya, Dhajeej, Jahra, Fahaheel) | Hawally has operated as a regular clinic since 2019; others ready |
What Dhaman will change – when it launches
- Private-sector expats (Article 18) and their dependants would pay Dhaman KD 130 a year instead of the MOH fee. The premium rises KD 20 every two years up to KD 190.
- Treatment would move from MOH clinics and hospitals to Dhaman hospitals and primary centres.
- The government transferred its 50% public stake to the Kuwait Investment Authority in April 2026 to restart the stalled project. MPs have repeatedly questioned the delay, and no start date has been set as of October 2026.
- Until the switch, nothing changes for you: pay the KD 100 MOH fee at renewal and use MOH centres, or private hospitals with employer insurance.
Ignore messages or websites asking you to “register for Dhaman” or pay a Dhaman premium now. There is no Dhaman registration or payment for expats until the government officially announces the start.
Timeline: expat health insurance in Kuwait
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Dhaman’s Hawally primary-care centre opened, operating as a regular clinic |
| Before Dec 2025 | MOH health-insurance fee for expats was KD 50 a year |
| 23 December 2025 | MOH fee doubled to KD 100 a year per person |
| April 2026 | Government’s 50% stake in Dhaman moved to the Kuwait Investment Authority |
| October 2026 | Dhaman hospitals built; scheme still not launched, no start date |
Plans for Dhaman have been announced and delayed several times, so treat any reported launch date with caution until it is confirmed by the Ministry of Health or the Cabinet. We update this page when an official decision is published.
Who is covered by which scheme
| Group | Health cover today | Under Dhaman (planned) |
|---|---|---|
| Private-sector employees (Article 18) | MOH fee KD 100/yr | Dhaman premium KD 130/yr |
| Dependants of private-sector workers | MOH fee KD 100/yr each | Dhaman premium |
| Government employees (Article 17) | MOH system | Stay on MOH |
| Domestic workers (Article 20) | MOH fee KD 100/yr | Stay on MOH |
| Visitors | KD 5 per month of visa | Not included |
| Kuwaiti citizens | Free public healthcare | Not affected |
Using government clinics and hospitals as an expat
Your first stop is the primary health centre for your area. Bring your Civil ID, which works as your health card. Centres handle general consultations, vaccinations, chronic-disease follow-up and referrals to specialist clinics in the governorate hospital. For appointments, many centres accept online booking; see MOH online appointment. In an emergency, go to the nearest government hospital’s emergency department or call 112.
- Keep your residency and health fee valid – an expired residency can mean paying full non-insured rates.
- Ask for your prescription to be dispensed at the clinic pharmacy; medicines are cheaper than in private pharmacies.
- Specialist appointments in government hospitals can involve waiting lists; for faster care many expats use private hospitals.
- Keep copies of reports and test results for any later private consultation.
Private health insurance on top of the MOH fee
Most employers of professionals buy private medical insurance – from providers such as GIG, Warba, Al Ahleia, First Takaful and GlobeMed-administered plans – that gives direct billing at private hospitals. Typical employer plans cost KD 150–400 per person a year with co-payments of 10–20%. Dependants are often excluded; individual family plans start around KD 200–500 a year per adult. Private insurance does not replace the mandatory MOH fee – you still pay KD 100 with every residency.
| MOH scheme (KD 100) | Private insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you are treated | Government clinics and hospitals | Private hospitals and clinics in the network |
| Waiting times | Can be long for specialists | Usually short |
| Cost at visit | Small fixed fees | Co-payment per visit or percentage |
| Dental and optical | Not covered | Depends on the plan – often limited |
Family members, newborns and expired health cover
Each family member on a dependant residency needs their own KD 100 health fee, paid with their residency. A baby born in Kuwait to expat parents needs a residency arranged by the father or sponsor within the official deadline, and the health fee is paid as part of that process; until then, ask the hospital about charges for the newborn’s care. If your residency expires, your health cover lapses with it and government clinics may charge you non-insured rates, so renew on time and keep the receipt in case the card has not yet updated.
Tips to keep healthcare costs down
- Ask HR exactly what your employer’s insurance covers, including maternity, dental, chronic conditions and dependants.
- Use the primary health centre for routine needs and private hospitals for specialist care when insured.
- Before a planned operation in a private hospital, get written pre-approval from the insurer.
- If you have a chronic condition, register with your health centre so you receive subsidised medicines.
- Budget the KD 100 per person health fee into every residency renewal – for a family of four it is KD 400.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance for expats in Kuwait?
KD 100 a year per person under the MOH scheme since December 2025. Dhaman’s KD 130 premium is announced but not yet in force.
Has Dhaman started for expats?
No. As of October 2026 the hospitals are built but the scheme has not launched and no start date has been announced.
Does the MOH health insurance cover dental?
No. Dental and optical care are paid per visit or procedure.
Do domestic workers pay the KD 100 fee?
Yes, the KD 100 annual MOH fee is paid when their residency is issued or renewed. They stay on the MOH system and are not part of Dhaman.
Where are the Dhaman hospitals?
In Ahmadi and Jahra, with primary centres planned or ready in Hawally, Farwaniya, Dhajeej, Jahra and Fahaheel.
Does private insurance replace the MOH fee?
No. The MOH fee is mandatory with every residency, even if your employer gives you private insurance.
How much do visitors pay for health insurance in Kuwait?
KD 5 for each month of the visit visa.
How much is a clinic visit for expats?
KD 2 at a primary health centre with a valid health card; emergency visits are KD 5.