Free access to health care benefits thousands will be by the end of May freelancers with debts to EFKAwhereas to renew their insurance capacity, it will be sufficient to pay only health sector contributions that correspond to the class of insurance they have chosen. Ministry of Labor with the provision included in the amendment, it updates the special regulation that was applied in 2022 for the self-employed (freelancers, farmers, self-employed) in order to streamline their finances and be able to resume their insurance capacity without problems. In particular, the self-employed are provided with exceptional insurance capacity until May 31, 2023, regardless of the presence of debt to social security funds. At the same time, they are asked to pay the amount due to them, which corresponds to the annual premiums of only the health sector of their chosen insurance class, in order to extend their insurance capacity until February 29, 2024.

In other words, as long as the self-employed person pays an amount corresponding to the annual health care contribution retrospectively for 2022, his insurance capacity will be extended until February 29, 2024, even if he has other insurance debts. It should be noted that this particular provision was applied last year on an exceptional basis, on the one hand, due to the special conditions in force during the previous period in connection with COVID-19, on the other hand, due to inaccurate and timely information insured. This time, fearing a possible backlash in the midst of a tense pre-election period, as well as an already widespread backlash against the 9.6% increase in self-employed contributions, the Department of Labor decided to extend the provision. .

At the same time, under the same scheme, the insurance capacity of the long-term unemployed and uninsured elderly is extended unconditionally for one year (until February 29, 2024), in the context of a provision that is permanently accepted for vulnerable social groups to receive medical care.

Under the same procedure, the insurance capacity of special categories of employees and members of their families is extended in the same way for one year.

“Bell” for new debt

Meanwhile, professionals continue to react to the decision to increase contributions to the self-employed by 9.6%. The Athens Chamber of Commerce notes in a statement that most entrepreneurs are unable to cope with the new financial burden, which ranges from 244 to 655 euros per year for basic insurance alone, depending on the category chosen by the self-employed person. “We are confident that a new generation of delinquent insurance debts will be created,” notes BEA and calls for the reactivation of 120 payments or some other form of settlement of delinquent debts.