Health Insurance in Jordan

When preparing to study abroad, international students should take care to make sure that they fully understand the health insurance system of their host country. This way, if you are unexpectedly injured or sick during your studies, you know exactly what your coverage entails, and won’t have any nasty surprises to deal with.

Residents in Jordan enjoy quite a high standard of healthcare provision, although this high standard is primarily focused around the Amman area. Health conditions in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan are among the best in the Middle East. This largely due to the Kingdom’s stability and to a range of effective development plans and projects, which have included health as a major component. The primary goal of Jordan’s health strategy has been to provide adequate health coverage to all. In order to accomplish this, the government policy has encouraged geographical complementary services by encouraging private sector facilities in the urban areas for those who are able to afford higher costs, while concentrating public sector facilities in the relatively poorer non-urban areas.

According to government data, the total expenditure in health care industry amounted to 7.5% of the country’s GDP (or gross domestic product) in 2002. However, various international health organizations have felt that the number is actually a good deal higher, and indicated that likely as much as 9.3% is spent on this particular industry. The two dominant players in Jordan are public and private institutions.

Health Care in the Public Sector

The Ministry of Health (or MoH) has adopted the “Health for All Policy,” which considers health as a basic right for every citizen. The government continues to support primary health care towards “Health for All,” and has committed to extend health insurance coverage. The civil health insurance bylaw has been updated to allow more sectors of the population to benefit from health insurance. The health system in Jordan includes the following sectors:

• The Public Sector.
• Ministry of Health.
• Royal Medical Services.
• Public University Hospitals.
• The Private Sector.
• The International and Charitable Sector including UNRWA.

In the public sector, the MoH operates 1,245 primary health care centers and 27 hospitals, accounting for 37% of all hospital beds in the country; the military’s Royal Medical Services runs 11 hospitals, providing 24% of all beds; and the Jordan University Hospital accounts for 3% of total beds in the country. In addition to the MoH network, UNRWA operates 21 primary care centers and 30 special care clinics for Jordan’s Palestinian refugees.

Health Care in the Private Sector

The private sector is active in providing primary care, accounting for nearly 40% of all initial patient contacts. The private sector provides 36% of all hospital beds, distributed among 56 hospitals. In June 2007, Jordan Hospital (as the biggest private hospital in the country) was the first general specialty hospital to receive international accreditation.

International students who study in Jordan will need to purchase their own health insurance policy, as they will not be eligible for public health care.