Panel session discusses amendments to SSC Law

AMMAN — A panel session organised on Wednesday by Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights, a Jordanian NGO, discussed amendments to the Social Security Corporation (SSC) Law.

During the virtual session, SSC Spokesperson Shaman Majali talked about amendments concerning maternity insurance, unemployment insurance, natural death insurance and work injury insurance.

“Social security is the responsibility of all. The SSC has shouldered the protection of future generations,” Majali said. 

He noted that the SSC is in the process of modifying its law, whereas its teams went to the Kingdom’s different governorates to convene dialogue sessions and hear people’s opinions.

The SSC spokesperson said that the topic of health insurance had appeared in SSC’s successive laws and is regarded to be a legal entitlement.

“The preparation of the first draft for our health insurance is completed,” he said. 

Majali pointed out that experts will be required to review the draft, then provide advice and guidance that will be presented to the SSC board of directors for approval.

The health insurance system will be applied to SSC subscribers through private sector institutions, retirees who are not covered in public or military health insurance and their family members.

“The health insurance fund will be financed by subscriptions deducted from Jordanian workers by 3 per cent of their wages and 5 per cent for non-Jordanians,” he said.

Yousef Zawana, an expert in health economics, said that “adding health insurance is an important step forward. However, care must be taken to prevent complications”.

The SSC is a critical national institution that could play a positive role in fixing the Kingdom's health system, he said. The current legal proposal concerning SSC’s health insurance should be reviewed because if it remains the same it might have reverse effects, Zawana said.

“Civil society organisations including Tamkeen call for reducing deduction rates for SSC subscriptions,” Shereen Mazen, Tamkeen representative, said during the session.