Pensioners are getting a “raw deal” under National Insurance Scheme (NIS) rules which see benefits ceasing when the person attains 60 years, Senior Counsel, Ralph Ramkarran says.
“It is highly unfair for contributors to the NIS to be paying insurance for the whole of their working lives, hardly making use of its facilities when they are young and healthy, then when they really need assistance, it is not available”, wrote Ramkarran in the Mirror newspaper. Something is wrong with such a system and it should be addressed, he said.
Ramkarran, the Speaker of the National Assembly, explained that under the National Insurance and Social Security Act, persons who are between the ages of 16 and 60 and who are gainfully occupied in insurable employment are required to be insured and to remain so insured for life. Persons who are insured are entitled to a range of assistance including invalidity benefit, survivor’s benefit, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, funeral benefit, child care benefit and constant attendance benefit. Upon the attainment of age 60, even though so insured, according to the Act, the benefits listed above, which are available before retirement at the age of 60 are no longer available, Ramkarran pointed out. “The NIS no longer wants to hear from you”, he said adding that the only benefit payable is a modest and inadequate old age pension.
Said Ramkarran: “Upon retirement therefore, at age 55 or a little older, many Guyanese face the daunting prospect of having to survive on an inadequate income even though expenses are likely to be greater”. Illustrating his point, Ramkarran said an insured persons is entitled to medical expenses if s/he gets ill and consultation, hospitalization, surgical operations, cost of drugs are all paid for by the NIS to a doctor or hospital of the insured’s choice. “As soon as an insured person attains the age of 60 these benefits cease”, he said.
He pointed out that this is the time when such benefits are most needed and it is at this time that the pensioner can hardly afford it. By this time s/he is likely to have retired. As a person gets older, s/he is more likely to require medical services than those who are younger, Ramkarran said. He pointed out that age brings a variety of potential illnesses and many succumb to these even if they may have made efforts to ensure that they had a healthy lifestyle.
“…this is a situation the authorities need to address with some urgency because pensioners may well be in a situation where they need the help”, he added.
Ramkarran’s columns are also available at http://www.conversationtree.gy/.