Implementation of the Compulsory Medical Insurance: A call to latecomers
On Tuesday, January 10, 2023, the Head of Government seized the opportunity from the rostrum of the Chamber of Councilors to launch an appeal in favor of strengthening solidarity in terms of the feasibility and sustainability of the Compulsory Medical Insurance (AMO). The theme of this monthly session of the general policy issues focused on the implementation of the medical and social coverage project in Morocco for the consolidation of the foundations of the Welfare State. Thus, “those who are not registered are invited to do so quickly. Those who are registered must contribute. Above all, do not wait until you are sick to do so. It would be too late”, insisted Aziz Akhannouch in front of an audience which, for the most part, was won over to him. Indeed, people can subscribe to medical coverage in particular through the internet or through the branches of the Social Security agency (CNSS) which has strengthened its human resources by recruiting 1,400 people during 2022. The agency has also set up a processing center for the records of self-employed workers (SEWs). The CNSS has established partnerships with local and mediation institutions which will carry out the missions of identifying categories of self-employed workers and transferring their personal data to the CNSS. Added to this is the opening of 47 new local branches, the launch of 45 mobile branches, and the creation of 8,000 communication centers to register new SEWs. The system is completed by the establishment of 2,000 contact points to receive files from the AMO compulsory medical insurance, and 4,000 local branches dedicated to the payment of membership fees. For the Head of Government, it is not normal for a person earning the minimum wage to contribute 300 Dirhams (MAD) per month while another person with a salary of 10,000 or 20,000 MAD would unduly join Solidarity Compulsory Medical Insurance (formerly known as Ramed) so that the Government pays for him or her 150 or 200 MAD per month. To convince the most undecided, the Head of Government gave the example of a taxi driver who contributes up to 180 MAD per month, or 6 MAD per day. That taxi driver got sick. The operation he underwent cost him 43,000 MAD. The social protection system reimbursed him up to 94%, or 41,000 MAD. In any case, the Head of Government is keeping an eye to maintain the balance of the system so that it continues to function and move forward, said Aziz Akhannouch. In this undertaking, the Head of Government is encouraged by the performance achieved in some sectors. This is the case of auto-entrepreneurs (or microentrepreneurs) 100% of which do contribute to the medical coverage system, tourist guides 87% of which do contribute, and the merchants subject to the Unified Professional Contribution (CPU) of which 77% do contribute to the medical coverage system. However, other persons who fall behind must make efforts to join the system. The Head of Government compares this major project to the soccer team, made up of one single group for the whole of Morocco, each member of society having to contribute in their own way in order to be able to find solutions to the problems posed in the field of health. Collective success requires group work on the basis of a homogeneous system, said the Head of Government.
Mohamed CHAOUI
