The Council of Health Insurance (CHI) in Saudi Arabia has confirmed that employers must be notified of a newborn within 30 days of the child's birth in order to provide the necessary insurance coverage.

The CHI added that the addition of the newborn to the insurance policy must be reported to the health insurance provider and is made from the child's birth date and is kept in a document separate from the mother's.

The CHI also called on beneficiaries to communicate with the Secretary General and the officials of the Council to answer their inquiries through the weekly open meeting via social media.

Earlier this year, the CHI confirmed that the costs of treating newborns are included in the mother's insurance document for up to 30 days from the date of birth. The document covers the costs of treating the newborn with a maximum benefit of 500 riyals, until they are added to the mother's insurance with a retroactive from the date of birth.

The CHI noted that the insurance firm needs a copy of the birth notification certificate or birth certificate in order to add the newborn to the paperwork. The Council of the Cooperative Health Insurance was the most evident instance that was protected by birth health insurance coverage.

The most prominent costs of births covered by the unified document are preventive measures such as, “seasonal vaccinations, and maternal and child care in accordance with the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.”

It includes the cost of piercing a female's ear with a maximum of 300 riyals during the term of the policy, and the cost of circumcision for "males", with a maximum of 500 riyals during the term of the policy.

The CHI also made note of the fact that it includes the costs of the national program for newborn early examination to reduce disability to a maximum of 100,000 riyals during the policy period, as well as the cost of infant formula according to the need to be distributed to infants who need it medically until the age of 24 months.