Jordanian Health Costs Set To Rise

Health insurance premiums and drug prices are to increase in Jordan whenthe health care strategy approved by the Council of Ministers goes into effect in two years' time.

Jordanian Health Minister Ashraf Kurdi says that the Ministry is to conduct a serious study of the imbalances between income and spending on health, as the Ministry's budget of 106 million dinars ($149.4 million) is now not enough to cover health service costs.

Health expenditure accounts for 7.9% of Gross Domestic Product in Jordan, a high rate compared to levels in neighboring Arab states. Civilian health insurance costs Jordan around 21.5 million dinars a year from the Health Ministry budget, or 25% of total health expenditure, while another 24% (20.5 million dinars) goes on treating military personnel. A further 45% (38.5 million dinars) is spent on "capable persons" who do not have the National Aid Fund cards allocated to the poor.