Title: Retirees in Gilan Call for Centralized Management of Healthcare Benefits, Citing Legal Mandates
Introduction
A group of retirees in Gilan province has formally appealed for a significant restructuring of their supplementary health insurance, urging a return to direct and full administration by the Social Security Organization. They contend that the current system, which involves intermediaries, undermines their legal rights and the foundational laws governing their benefits.
The Core Demand: A Return to Legal Foundations
The retirees base their appeal on existing legislation, specifically Article 54 of the Social Security Law and a 1989 law mandating the Social Security Organization to provide universal health services. They argue that these laws place the complete and undivided responsibility for pensioners’ healthcare squarely on the Organization itself. The delegation of this core duty to private contractors and pensioner associations, they state, is a direct contradiction of the law’s intent to create a cohesive and stable healthcare system for beneficiaries.
Systemic Issues with the Outsourced Model
The retirees explained that the involvement of contractors began in the early 2010s, initially intended to address gaps in medical infrastructure and manage costs. Under this model, the cost of supplementary insurance was split evenly between the Organization and the pensioners. However, the retirees assert that this arrangement has evolved into a complex and problematic system. Key issues raised include:
- The Social Security Organization has retreated from its fundamental regulatory and supervisory role.
- A lack of transparent financial auditing and oversight for both the insurance companies and the contracted hospitals.
- Numerous reports of unmet obligations by insurers, discriminatory service provision, and a general absence of accountability.
A Clear List of Demands for Reform
The group from Gilan has presented a concise list of demands to rectify the situation:
| Demand | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Return of full responsibility to the Social Security Organization | The Organization must resume complete management of contracts, payments, supervision, and public accountability. |
| Ban on direct payments outside the official framework | Any direct payments from insurers or associations to individuals or medical centers outside the official system should be considered a violation. |
| Phasing out of supplementary insurance | The Organization is obligated to move towards providing comprehensive, direct health coverage, rendering the supplementary tier unnecessary. |
| Oversight by the Minister of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare | The Minister should ensure a clear separation between the advocacy role of pensioner associations and their executive functions to guarantee transparency. |
Conclusion: Healthcare as a Legal Right, Not a Privilege
In their concluding remarks, the retirees emphasized that healthcare for Social Security pensioners is an inviolable legal right, not a privilege granted by insurers or contractors. They warned that the continuation of the current model not only leads to a waste of resources but also erodes public trust in the Social Security Organization. The group has called upon the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare and the Social Security Organization to take corrective action, urging them to respect the law and uphold the dignity of the nation’s retirees.