Maldives to impose 15% co-payment on high-income earners using private clinics from 2027

The government has decided to collect a 15% co-payment from individuals earning more than MVR 60,000 per month among those seeking health services from health service providers run by private entities, excluding government health centers and hospitals. This policy will begin on January 1, 2027. According to an announcement made by the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare, this co-payment is to be collected from individuals whose income exceeds a specified amount among Maldivians seeking services from private sector health facilities operating in the country. However, the Ministry stated that these services will continue as they currently do under existing procedures for cases where patients need to be sent abroad under Aasandha. Although earning more than MVR 60,000 per month, the Ministry revealed that technical staff in certain important sectors for the country will be exempted from paying this co-payment. The following groups are exempted from this policy: doctors and technical staff in the medical field, pilots and technical staff in the aviation field, and engineers and technical staff in science fields. This change is said to have been introduced to sustain the Aasandha system.