Social health insurance not replacement for insurance companies — SSC spokesperson

AMMAN — The Social Security Corporation (SSC) on Wednesday stressed that the social health insurance proposed in the SSC draft law will not replace or compete with current insurance companies.

The current SSC draft law introduced the social health insurance proposal, which was approved by the SSC board in August 2021 and sent to the Cabinet for examination and endorsement, said Shaman Majali, legal adviser and SSC spokesperson.

Once the Cabinet endorses the law, it will be sent to the Parliament for debate and approval, Majali told The Jordan Times.

There are worries that the SSC social health system will replace insurance companies, or encourage people to get rid of their insurance in favour of the SSC health system, Majali added.

But in reality, the new SSC health system will “cover retired citizens who do not have any health insurance, or individuals who work in the private sector and do not have insurance coverage”,  he said.

“The number of people benefiting from the SSC is around 1.45 million, including 1.2 million who will benefit from the new health system,” Majali added.

The draft health law stipulates that “the social health insurance will either by managed by the SSC, or via the insurance companies”, according to Majali.

The SSC spokesperson said once the draft law is upheld by the Parliament, the SSC “will introduce regulations on how to manage the application of the social health insurance and other articles in the draft bill”.

SSC Director General Hazem Rahahleh stressed in recent interviews that social health insurance is intended to complement the work of insurance companies.

Health insurance is the main pillar of the proposed amendments to the Social Security Law, Rahahleh added.

He also noted that the health insurance will include subscribers working in private sector institutions and retirees who do not have a health insurance. The insurance will cover all members of the family with a deductible of 5 per cent of subscribers’ salaries, he added.

In this regard, Rahahleh said, four per cent will be deducted for treatment at private hospitals, and one per cent will be used to cover expenses at the King Hussein Cancer Centre.