M. Arshad Qaim Khani

health insurance executive

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

M. Arshad Qaim Khani is a health insurance executive who has led a national health insurance programme in Pakistan as its chief executive. He has headed Pakistan's largest health insurance company. He says about 950 hospitals are on the programme's panel across Pakistan.

Early life and background

Khani was born in Tando Allahyar, Sindh. He comes from a middle or lower-middle class family and is the second of three brothers. He attended an Urdu primary school and completed his early schooling in Tando Allahyar. He completed primary school and matriculation in Tando Allahyar, and also his intermediate studies there. [1]

Education

Khani moved to Karachi and completed an engineering degree at NED University. He says choosing engineering was a common trend of the time, not a personal ambition. He later joined IBA in the evenings and completed an MBA there, which he finished in 1999. [1]

Career

An offer was made to sponsor a fellowship at an institute in Atlanta, USA, and Khani was selected for it. He joined as a trainee officer. He completed the four-year fellowship in about two and a quarter years. He describes a distance learning programme as equal to a PhD, and says he received a PhD allowance alongside his salary. He became an officer at a young age. [1]

An insurance company offered Khani a country manager role in its underwriting section. He says he decided to step out of his comfort zone and that it proved a good decision. He then worked for many companies in the private sector, in senior positions. He worked in life insurance first and then in health insurance. The UAE government approached him to advise on health insurance implementation. [1]

Return and the health programme

Khani says he returned around 2016 or 2017, and that it was always time to go back and to pay back. He worked in the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Production. He was invited to assist as a consultant. He applied and was selected after a stringent selection process lasting ten months. He began leading the programme from inside as second in command, and he says its core concept is health insurance. After another person left, he began leading the programme as its chief executive. [1]

The programme

Khani says families sell homes, cars and jewellery to pay for major treatment. He says the government conceived the programme in 2015-16 to end this hardship. He says it was first launched publicly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the provincial government began it as a pilot in about four districts. He describes the model as giving people a health insurance card and inviting all hospitals, public and private, to offer their services. He says the programme delivered at grassroots level in both KP and federal areas. [1]

Khani says that once the programme had become so successful and was benefiting people, the question arose of making it universal. He says all of Punjab has been covered universally since 2022, and he expects the last two Punjab divisions to be covered by 31 March. He estimates about 18 crore Pakistanis will be insured by 31 March. He says Balochistan will begin the programme next month and hopes Sindh will join by the end of the year. He says 23 crore 40 lakh Pakistanis will be universally insured once Sindh joins, and he claims Pakistan would be the first nation with a 100% state-funded national health insurance programme. [1]

Khani says the programme's success belongs to the whole nation, not to him or the government. He says the health card has freed people from servitude to other people in matters of health. He says that with the card a patient does not have to touch a single rupee, and that the card gives everyone purchasing power for healthcare. He says more than 1,300 packages are available for all kinds of services. He says the programme is the largest healthcare service purchaser in Pakistan, and that roughly 70% of the panel hospitals are private. He says he has long argued the card would bring healthcare to people's doorsteps. [1]

Khani says complaints are logged at once and escalated on a time-based schedule. He says the programme runs a 24/7 helpline, and that in the call centre feedback ratio, 97% of people are satisfied. He says a third-party call centre managed by Nadra calls about 70% of discharged patients. He says the programme monitors patients at admission and discharge, and that every hospital has a card counter that helps patients through the process. He says dozens of hospitals have been de-panelled for malpractice. He says he cannot promise that fraud will be zero, and that the programme is working to minimise fraud. [1]

Khani says about 12 to 13 new cath labs were built within one year. He says a nationwide mapping found that most of the 150-plus districts lack quality services. He says his team has proposed a rural healthcare investment scheme to the Prime Minister. [1]

Views

Khani says some aspects of insurance are not sharia compliant. He warns Pakistan could become another Iraq or Syria if not managed well. He also says Pakistan could become the next Malaysia, Dubai or Turkey if steered well. He says his generation is a transition generation between the older and the next. He says he is very hopeful and very positive, and that Pakistanis are a very innovative nation. [1]

Timeline

1999
Completed an MBA at IBA.[1]
2016-17
Returned around 2016 or 2017, according to Khani.[1]
2022
All of Punjab covered universally by the programme, according to Khani.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2022-03-14 Pakistan's first 100% state-funded health insurance Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Where did M. Arshad Qaim Khani study?

M. Arshad Qaim Khani completed an engineering degree at NED University after moving to Karachi, having finished his schooling and intermediate studies in Tando Allahyar. He later completed an MBA at IBA, which he finished in 1999.[1]

Where is M. Arshad Qaim Khani from?

M. Arshad Qaim Khani was born in Tando Allahyar, Sindh. He completed his schooling and intermediate studies there before moving to Karachi.[1]

When did M. Arshad Qaim Khani complete his MBA?

M. Arshad Qaim Khani completed his MBA in 1999. He joined IBA in the evenings and finished the degree there.[1]

References

  1. Pakistan's first 100% state-funded health insurance . Thought Behind Things , 2022-03-14.
Show the source passages (74 statements)
  1. He was born in Tando Allahyar, Sindh. Wahan matlab Tando Allahyar mein hum paida hue.
  2. He comes from a middle or lower-middle class family. Bahut hi middle class, lower middle class qisam ki family se talluq rakhte hain.
  3. He is the second of three brothers. teen bhaiyon mein se mera number dusra hai
  4. He attended an Urdu primary school for his early schooling. Aaj tak mujhe yaad hai, Urdu Primary School, Chambar Naka.
  5. He completed his early schooling in Tando Allahyar. Ji bilkul Tando Allahyar se li thi.
  6. He completed primary school and matriculation in Tando Allahyar. Matlab primary bhi wahin se kiya. Phir matriculation bhi wahin se kiya.
  7. He also completed intermediate studies in Tando Allahyar. intermediate ka bhi college wahan khul gaya. Achha. Toh intermediate bhi maine wahin se kiya.
  8. He moved to Karachi. Toh phir naubat yeh aayi ke hum Karachi chale gaye.
  9. He completed an engineering degree at NED University. NED University se engineering bhi ho gayi hamari.
  10. He says choosing engineering was a common trend of the time, not a personal ambition. matlab koi khaas mera zaati will toh nahi tha. Trend tha
  11. An offer was made to sponsor a fellowship at an institute in Atlanta, USA. Toh phir unhone jo hai, woh Life Management Institute at Atlanta, jo USA hai, wahan se fellowship sponsor karne ki offer ki.
  12. He was selected for the fellowship. Toh alhamdulillah, lucky hum. Hum select ho gaye.
  13. He joined as a trainee officer. Toh phir humne as a trainee officer join kiya
  14. He completed the four-year fellowship in about two and a quarter years. woh jo char saal ki fellowship karni thi, humne koshish karke sawa do saal mein usko mukammal kar liya.
  15. He describes a distance learning programme as equal to a PhD. Distant learning ka program tha basically, jismein jo hai, toh but it is equal to the PhD.
  16. He says he received a PhD allowance alongside his salary. Isiliye humein uh tankhwah ke saath PhD allowance bhi milta tha.
  17. He became an officer at a young age. phir hum wahan uh afsar ban gaye, humne phir woh bahut hi nau-umri ke andar woh cheezein keen.
  18. He joined IBA in the evenings and completed an MBA there. Phir saath saath humne jo hai, woh evening ke andar jo hai, IBA join kar liya, wahan se MBA kiya.
  19. He completed his MBA in 1999. humne 99 mein MBA kiya tha.
  20. An insurance company offered him a country manager role in its underwriting section. woh sarkar ko chhorein aur private market ko join kar lein, toh American Life Insurance us zamane mein hoti thi. Toh unhone humein woh country manager underwriting section ki offer ki.
  21. He says he decided to step out of his comfort zone and that it proved a good decision. comfort zone se bahar nikal ke dekhte hain aur bada achha faisla raha
  22. He then worked for many companies in the private sector, in senior positions. phir bahut saari companiyan private sector mein kaam karte rahe, aala tareen positionon pe humne kaam kiya
  23. He worked in life insurance first and then in health insurance. Haan, rahe insurance, pehle life mein aur phir health insurance mein.
  24. He has headed Pakistan's largest health insurance company. sabse badi health insurance company ko head bhi kiya.
  25. The UAE government approached him to advise on health insurance implementation. UAE government ne mujhe approach kiya ke ji, if you would like to assist as an advisor to us for the health insurance implementation
  26. He says he returned around 2016 or 2017. koi 2016-17 ke andar phir hum wapas aaye.
  27. He says it was always time to go back and to pay back. maine kaha nahi yaar, this is always time to go back and to pay back.
  28. He worked in the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Production. humne ministry ke andar bhi kaam kiya, Ministry of Commerce mein aur Ministry of Production mein kaam karne ka ittefaq hua
  29. He was invited to assist as a consultant. as a consultant unhone humein dawat di ke ji aap humein assist karein iske upar.
  30. He applied and was selected after a stringent selection process lasting ten months. toh humne ittefaq se usmein apply kar diya kyunki hamara interest tha ke yaar yeh toh toh Allah ki meherbani se woh selection bhi ho gayi hamare paas, after stringent selection process jo 10 mahine pe mushtamil tha.
  31. He began leading the programme from inside as second in command. Andar se is program ko as a uh second in command humne lead karna shuru kar diya.
  32. After another person left, he began leading the programme as its chief executive. woh chhod ke chale gaye toh hum as a number one ke taur pe isko chief executive ke taur pe isko lead karna shuru ho gaye.
  33. He says the programme was first launched publicly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Uh sabse pehle public facing yeh jab launch hua hai toh yeh KPK mein launch hua.
  34. He says the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government began it as a pilot in about four districts. koi char district mein jo hai KPK government ne shuru kiya tha, pilot shuru kiya tha.
  35. He says families sell homes, cars and jewellery to pay for major treatment. Jab daao pe laga deta hai, toh janab ghar bikte hain, gaari bikti hai, janwar bikte hain, zevar bikte hain, hatta ke sab kuch bik jata hai.
  36. He says the government conceived the programme in 2015-16 to end this hardship. Toh is museebat ke aage band bandhne ke liye hukumat-e-Pakistan ne 2015-16 mein is program ko conceive kiya.
  37. He says the programme's core concept is health insurance. Aur concept yahi tha ke health insurance essentially thi, fundamental concept yahi tha.
  38. He describes the model as giving people a health insurance card and inviting all hospitals, public and private, to offer their services. Unhein health insurance card pakra dete hain aur saare haspatalon ko, chahe woh sarkari hon aur private hon, unhein offer kar dete hain ke apni service offer karein.
  39. He says the programme delivered at grassroots level in both KP and federal areas. Achi baat yeh rahi ke har do jagah, wafaqi ilaqon ke andar bhi aur KP ke andar bhi, is program ne grass root level pe deliver kiya.
  40. He says that once the programme had become so successful and was benefiting people, the question arose of making it universal. itna kamyab program ho gaya hai, deliver kar raha hai, logon ko fayda ho raha hai, toh kyun na isse universal kiya jaye?
  41. He says all of Punjab has been covered universally since 2022. 2022 se humne poore Punjab ko ismein universally cover kiya hai
  42. He expects the last two Punjab divisions to be covered by 31 March. sirf do division baqi reh gaye hain Punjab ke mere paas, Sargodha aur Gujranwala. 31 March tak yeh bhi ho jayenge.
  43. He estimates about 18 crore Pakistanis will be insured by 31 March. 31 March ko koi 18 crore Pakistani ismein insured honge.
  44. He says Balochistan will begin the programme next month. Balochistan inshaAllah agle mahine se shuru kar raha hai isko.
  45. He hopes Sindh will join by the end of the year. humein umeed hai ke agle saal tak, isi saal ke aakhir tak Sindh bhi shamil ho jayega.
  46. He says 23 crore 40 lakh Pakistanis will be universally insured once Sindh joins. iske baad 23 crore 40 lakh Pakistani inshaAllah universally health insured honge
  47. He claims Pakistan would be the first nation with a 100% state-funded national health insurance programme. hum duniya ki pehli qaum honge on the face of the earth, jo ke 100% state funded national health insurance program kar rahe honge.
  48. He says the programme's success belongs to the whole nation, not to him or the government. yeh is program ki kamyabi meri kamyabi nahi hai, mere minister Dr. Faisal Sultan ki ya Prime Minister Imran Khan ki kamyabi nahi hai, yeh hukumat ki kamyabi nahi hai, yeh poori qaum ki kamyabi hai.
  49. He says the health card has freed people from servitude to other people in matters of health. ke usne sehat ke mamle mein insanon ko insanon ki ghulami se, Allah taala ki meherbani se azad karwa diya hai.
  50. He says that with the card a patient does not have to touch a single rupee. Hamare card ki khaas baat yeh hai ke aapne 1 rupaya bhi kahin touch nahi karna hota.
  51. He says more than 1,300 packages are available for all kinds of services. Koi 1300 se zyada packages available hain hamare har qisam ki services ke kam-o-besh.
  52. He says the programme is the largest healthcare service purchaser in Pakistan. we are the largest healthcare service purchaser of Pakistan.
  53. He says about 950 hospitals are on the panel across Pakistan. koi 950 panel haspatal hain is waqt mere paas across Pakistan.
  54. He says roughly 70% of panel hospitals are private. dono mila ke aksariyat private haspatalon ki hai usmein, koi almost 70%.
  55. He says complaints are logged at once and escalated on a time-based schedule. Foran woh aapki complaint record ho jayegi aur woh time based uski escalation ho jaati hai.
  56. He says the programme runs a 24/7 helpline. Phir humne helpline 24/7 di hui hai, 0800090009.
  57. He says that in the call centre feedback ratio, 97% of people are satisfied. hamara feedback jo hai call center ka jo ratio hai, 97% log satisfied hain.
  58. He says a third-party call centre managed by Nadra calls about 70% of discharged patients. hum ek third party Nadra managed call center ke zariye feedback call system bhi humne rakha hua hai. Koi 70% logon ko jo discharge hote hain, hum call karwate hain.
  59. He says dozens of hospitals have been de-panelled for malpractice. Abhi tak humne koi darjanon haspatalon ko de-panel kiya hai, kisi mal-practice ki wajah se
  60. He says he cannot promise that fraud will be zero. Main yeh nahi keh sakta ki fraud zero hoga.
  61. He says the programme is working to minimise fraud. Hum isko minimize kar rahe hain.
  62. He says the programme monitors patients at admission and discharge. we make sure ki dakhle pe bhi monitoring ho, discharge pe bhi monitoring ho
  63. He says every hospital has a card counter that helps patients through the process. har haspatal mein sehat card counter maujood hain, jo poori aapki hand holding bhi karta hai
  64. He says about 12 to 13 new cath labs were built within one year. Sirf ek saal ke andar koi 12 se 13 nayi cath lab bani hain.
  65. He says a nationwide mapping found that most of the 150-plus districts lack quality services. Humne nation-wide mapping ki hai Pakistan ki, ki jo 150 se zaid districts hain hamare, usmein siwaye 10-20 district ke alawa kahin koi mayari services nahi hain
  66. He says his team has proposed a rural healthcare investment scheme to the Prime Minister. Humne Prime Minister ko tajweez bhi de rahe hain hum log, ki jo rural areas hain ya jo thode se far-flung areas hain, wahan achi healthcare sector investment scheme lekar aayein
  67. He says the card gives everyone purchasing power for healthcare. aur sab ki jaib mein humne health card ki shakal mein purchasing power daal diya hai
  68. He says he has long argued the card would bring healthcare to people's doorsteps. Main kehta tha ki yeh qaumi sehat card program hi woh cheez hai jo healthcare services ko user ke doorstep pe leke jayega.
  69. He says some aspects of insurance are not sharia compliant. yaqeenan insurance mein kuch aspects aise hain, kuch element hain jo shari ya compliant nahi hain.
  70. He warns Pakistan could become another Iraq or Syria if not managed well. agar humne isko sahi time pe nahi sambhala aur hum jis tight rope pe hum chal rahe hain toh Pakistan could be, god forbid, another Iraq or Syria.
  71. He says Pakistan could become the next Malaysia, Dubai or Turkey if steered well. Agar humne isko us tareeqe se chalaya jis tareeqe ka hamara vision hai, woh chalana chahiye, hum chalane ki koshish kar rahe hain inshaAllah, toh we will be the next Malaysia, next Dubai, next Turkey or next any developed country.
  72. He says his generation is a transition generation between the older and the next. being a transition generation between the older generation aur jo upcoming generation hai
  73. He says he is very hopeful and very positive. I am very hopeful, very positive.
  74. He says Pakistanis are a very innovative nation. Toh Pakistani qaum badi innovative hai.