Parliamentary Committee enacts health coverage draft law

The Parliamentary Committee for Health enacted the health coverage draft law for National Social Security Fund (NSSF) retirees over the age of 64. It will refer it to the General Assembly and Parliament will enact it one they start legislation sessions.

According to the new draft law, NSSF retirees who have been benefiting from 20 years of health coverage will continue benefiting from it after the age of 64. The family will also benefit from the health coverage even if the insured person has passed away, but under several conditions. The spouse will not benefit from health coverage if he or she remarried. The spouse should not be benefiting from another public insurance party, and should not be registered in the commercial registry. Children may benefit from their father’s or mother’s health coverage until age 18, handicapped people may continue to benefit from this coverage.

Rafic Salame, board member of NSSF, said: “There is a consensus on this project from all parties.”

Prior to this new draft law, employees above the age 64 who were formerly covered by NSSF stop benefiting from the health coverage, and are only compensated about $35,000.

This project will be funded through a monthly subscription from the retired employee that represents nine percent of the minimum wage. Employers, workers, and the government are required to pay one percent of their income to help fund this project.

This 12 percent will finance the project for the coming 50 years.