Industrialists reject higher NSSF fees                        
                    
                                   
                   
              
              
                                            
                            ALI calls for better management of national social security resources                           
                    
                                   
                                                          
                        
              
                                            
                    
                        
                                
	                                	  
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                            The Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) rejected a decision by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to collect higher subscriptions to the maternity and sickness fund. 
The NSSF’s board last week decided to raise to LL2.5 million ($1,660) the salary ceiling used to calculate subscriptions to the sickness and maternity fund from the current ceiling set at LL1.5 million ($1,000). 
The NSSF’s decision came in response to demands from private hospitals to raise medical tariffs. 
The ALI said that the recent wage increase had raised the NSSF’s income by around LL145 billion ($96 million). It also claimed that around 100,000 beneficiaries (almost one third of the total) do not pay subscriptions. 
According to the ALI, the NSSF could afford to pay the extra expenses if it undergoes major restructuring to prevent waste and create better supervision. 
The ALI called for amending the NSSF law. 
The government owes the NSSF more than LL830 billion ($550 million), according to the NSSF’s director, Mohamad Karaki.
Reported by Hanadi Chami
                            	                                    
                            
                                                                           
                     
               
                            
                        
              
                                  
                    
                            	    		                                    
                                
                                    Date Posted: May 14, 2012
                                
		                                    
                              
                         
                    
                    
                         
                              
	                                	                               
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