As a follow-up to an earlier alert, Dubai's mandatory health insurance policy is scheduled to be rolled out at the beginning of November 2014, in phases. Phase one will apply to companies with 1000 or more employees. Eventually, all residents and citizens of mainland Dubai as well as the freezones - including dependents and domestic workers - will need health insurance.

UAE nationals are expected to be covered by the government, while residents would need to be covered by private insurance providers. Dubai Health Authority (DHA) allows UAE national employees to choose between their employers' health insurance coverage and the government's insurance scheme. Employers are required to pay to insure their employees, but may choose whether or not to provide coverage to their employees' dependents.