Health Ministry Mandates Aasandha Co-Payment for High Earners from January

The Ministry of Health, Family and Social Support has announced that a 15 percent co-payment will be required from individuals earning more than MVR 60,000 per month when they avail services from private health service providers under the Aasandha scheme, starting January 1. The rule, which has now been gazetted, implements a decision taken by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on September 7 to limit full Aasandha coverage for high-income earners. The co-payment applies only to registered private clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and optical and prosthetic service providers; government health facilities are exempt. Patients referred abroad from government facilities will also not be charged. However, exemptions are made for doctors and technical medical staff, pilots and aviation technical staff, and engineers and science-based technical staff to retain skilled workers. President Muizzu said the reform will save approximately MVR 287 million annually from the state budget, which can be redirected to other essential services and social development.