- 27
- Feb.
- 2024
The National Social Security Fund (CNSS), left to its own devices to recover its reserve funds in Lebanese pounds, has decided to take action.
The National Social Security Fund has taken significant decisions to bolster its reserves and restore its role as a ‘partial safety net’ for healthcare for low- and middle-income individuals.
The CNSS witnessed a drastic reduction in its Lebanese pound reserves when Lebanon defaulted on its payments. This was due to its investment in Treasury bonds, presumed to be a conservative, low-risk investment.
Concurrently, its revenues, namely the contributions from its members, have suffered from the repercussions of the national currency devaluation.
The CNSS decisions were made possible through the Lebanese Central Bank (BDL) unifying the exchange rate as part of the 2024 Finance Law. This was further bolstered by an economic growth recovery in the country, albeit a somewhat modest one.
Decisions
The CNSS has required employers and business owners to declare a minimum of 20 million pounds as the monthly salary for their employees and to calculate contributions accordingly. This decision came after the CNSS observed that the majority of salary declaration forms reflected amounts well below the imposed threshold.
Furthermore, it has instructed employers to calculate the employees’ contributions paid in fresh dollars based on a dollar rate of 89,500 pounds.
In the same context, the CNSS has raised the maximum limit of earnings subject to deductions for the health and maternity insurance branch to 45 million pounds, which is five times the official minimum monthly salary. This decision came into effect on 1/3/2024.
Declared Wages of 10%
The CNSS sources do not rule out the possibility of a significant increase in the CNSS' contribution rate to cover hospitalization expenses, based on its upwardly adjusted reference rates, provided that contributions continue to be paid under the new conditions and companies take the initiative to declare at least half of their employees' actual salaries.
According to the same sources, the reported salaries to the CNSS represent only 10% of the actual amounts received by the employees.
Increased Coverage
As of next week, the CNSS will reimburse 75% of the cost of generic medications and 35% of branded medications used for treating chronic diseases, based on prices set by the Ministry of Public Health and an exchange rate of 89,500 pounds per dollar. Chronic diseases covered include diabetes, hypertension, blood clotting disorders, and benign hyperplasia.
Regarding the flat rate for surgical procedures, the CNSS will cover approximately 50% of their actual costs as determined by the Ministry of Public Health and approved by hospitals, despite their initial objections.
It should be noted that the issue of reimbursing all kinds of prostheses is still under consideration by the competent authorities within the CNSS.
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