Compulsory medical insurance for the self-employed: Delicate collection of contributions
This is a somewhat reassuring signal on the financing of health cover for self-employed workers. Out of 2.51 billion Moroccan Dirhams of contributions due on November 1, only 540 million have been recovered, which represents barely 22% of the total amount, namely a level which could perhaps also alert on the financial situation of certain categories of self-employed workers in an environment marked by rising inflation and an economic slowdown.
This is the case, for example, for farmers, barely 1% of whom have contributed, taxi drivers with a rate of 7%, and craftsmen 4%. Among the medical and paramedical professions as well as the legal and judicial professions, these rates were 54% and 61% respectively at the end of October.
Out of more than 2 million people, barely 238,419 have paid their contribution, i.e. barely 12% of the total, which could also be explained by the reluctance of certain categories who relied on the Ramed or who did not see the need to contribute until they had a medical file to submit. However, the default interest starts to be charged very quickly: 1% for each month, within the limit of a ceiling of one month of contribution per year.
For the time being, the AMO (Compulsory Medical Insurance) for self-employed workers is well and truly operational. Support is granted and refunds are made. More than 300 million Dirhams have been disbursed by the CNSS (National Social Security Fund) for the benefit of its policyholders under the AMO for the self-employed.
This being so, the CNSS favors the “amicable” way to collect unpaid contributions as soon as three unpaid debts are observed: telephone calls, text messages, and e-mails… forced collection of debts being the final stage. It must also be said that the costs are sometimes significant compared to the amount of the debt due. This makes the use of forced collection rather expensive. In any case, the Fund has set a threshold of 5,000 Dirhams (500 USD) beyond which it triggers this procedure, especially since the seizure of bank accounts ( the famous notices to third party holder, ATD ) is for the moment excluded, because, since 2017, the GPBM (Moroccan Bankers Association) had taken the decision to give full effect to the case law of the Court of Cassation to no longer accept ATDs from the fund for lack of legality. The judgment delivered by the Court of Cassation on September 14, 2017 specified that the CNSS, although it is a public body and its debts have the status of public debts, cannot in any case initiate this procedure. But the situation could change if the overhaul of the provisions relating to inspection and control as well as recovery is validated. This overhaul would allow, among other things, the CNSS to reactivate the seizure of bank accounts (the ATD), which is feared by the company even if it is framed by regulatory provisions.
Khadija MASMOUDI
