The Council of Health Insurance has decided to add 18 new benefits to the health insurance policy.

Improvements to the health insurance policy include 10 other benefits, including obesity operations, kidney transplants, and raising mental health coverage to SR50,000.

Health insurance policy updates are aimed at achieving seven main objectives, including increasing the prevention of disease for beneficiaries, improving health promotion, reducing complications of diseases, enhancing the capacity of beneficiaries, facilitating access to services, empowering beneficiaries, and improving service quality and efficiency.

As the value of hemodialysis coverage has been raised, a number of updated benefits have been added pertaining to exploratory preventive tests, vaccinations, as well as women's health, obesity operations, and kidney transplants.

As well, the maximum coverage for acute and chronic psychiatric cases has been increased to SR50,000 from SR15,000.

Since Oct. 1, new updates have been applied to private health insurance policies (issued or renewed). For each person's benefit, the policy specifies a maximum of SR1 million.

Additionally, the Health Insurance Fund program will provide more than SR500,000 in support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).