Funds: The 7 measures to increase revenue in 2022

By Dimitris Katsaganis

E-EFKA will fight for the increase of the income from insurance contributions this year, according to the presentation report of the insurance super-body for the budget of 2022, which is presented exclusively by the Capital.gr.

THE The expected increase will concern both revenues from current contributions and overdue (arrangements, payments “against” debt, etc.), according to this report.

The Expenditure on pensions is not expected to increase, while to “smoothing“they are going “peculiarities” of other insurance benefits, in view of its training Unified Regulation of Insurance and Benefits.

Revenues from contributions

As stated in the budget report, main lines of action to comply with and increase the collection of contributions (current contributions and arrears) include:

1. The automation of substantive controls through the interface with the ERGANI system, which records all employers and salaried employees

2. The enhancing the efficiency of the Regional Insurance Control Centers (PEKA), through the application of redesigned control procedures and the use of risk analysis methods

3. Activating it Detailed Periodic Statement (APD) for the State and the full integration of other bodies (such as TAFTEKO) that to date have not been integrated

4. Improving the mechanism Control of Declared Payments (EDC)

5. The electronic issuance of Debt Certificate Deeds (PBO)

6. The systematic intersection of debtors with data of AADE and GEMI.

7. The planning and implementation of actions by KEAO to keep debtors in the settlement.

It is noted that the most important peculiarities of the branches and bodies of the joined Funds have been taken into account in the calculation of the estimates.

It is expected, according to the same report, in general, increase of Main Insurance premiums by 1.62% compared to the ministry’s estimates for 2021, by 1.39% of insurance revenues of the Auxiliary Insurance sector and 0.76% of the insurance revenues of the One-Time Benefits sector.

As for the projections of receipts for arrears of insurance contributions and according to the estimates of the supervising Ministry for adjustment to the MTEF, it is expected that in 2022 they will be increased by 11.91% compared to estimates for the year 2021.

Insurance benefits

According to the same report, for the preparation of the budget of the pension expenditure in general, the provisions of laws 4387/16 and 4670/20, on the application of uniform rules of pension benefits for old and new insured and those of the calculation and recalculation of pensions were taken into account. in combination with the performance of the measures for the liquidation of overdue retirement applications and with the assistance of certified accountants and lawyers.

No increase in the amount of Main Insurance pensions is expected as a number of retroactive payments were paid within the year 2021 to beneficiaries from the settlement of old pending issues, as mentioned.

Also, retroactive increases of replacement rates of law 4670/20 were granted, as well as advances of pensions of law 4778/21. Therefore, a lower cost of retrospectives is expected during the final settlement of the outstanding issues. An increase of 5.96% is expected for the Auxiliary Insurance sector and the One-Time Benefits sector.

The category of cash benefits includes benefits paid to policyholders covered by cash benefits insurance, as well as to other beneficiaries. The type, the extent, the amount, the beneficiaries and the granting procedure are still provided in accordance with the individual statutory provisions of the affiliated bodies, until the issuance of the Unified Regulation of Insurance and Benefits of e-EFKA.

As the Money Accounts Branches that joined the e-EFKA, provide different benefits to their insured according to their statutory provisions, an effort was made to group the expense codes.

With the preparation of a Unified Regulation of Insurance and Benefits provided in article 32 of law 4387/16 these peculiarities will be normalized.

The cash benefits, including the cost of camping programs, other welfare benefits, as well as part of transfer payments mainly related to benefits to insured OGA for daycare centers, payments and liabilities that may arise from part of the unallocated grant of 2018, Article 15 of Law 4575/18 for categories of pensioners of Articles 10 to 14 are estimated at the amount of 438 million euros, compared to estimates for 2021 amounting to 398 million euros, ie an increase of 10%.

Government grants

The state grant for the Main Insurance and Other Benefits sector will amount to 14,529 million euros compared to 14,367 million euros in 2021. In addition, an extraordinary grant of 257.8 million euros is expected to cover the loss of social resources, based on n.3863 / 10, at a rate of 30% on the insurance income OAED-OEK-OEE from paid work, due to the reduction of the insurance premium in favor of OAED-OEK-OEE from 01.01.2021.

Outstanding liabilities

In addition to the appropriations necessary for the use of 2022, sufficient provision is made outstanding liabilities until 31.12.21 of the Main Insurance and Other Benefits sector, total amount of 181 million euros, of which 73 million euros relates to overdue liabilities etc. Health of the FCA members included in the e-EFKA, an amount of 11 million euros relates to unpaid operating expenses.

The remaining amount of 97 million euros concerns the part of the unallocated state grant, totaling 1.4 billion euros, which is estimated to appear in cash on 31.12.21, and concerns the payment of retroactive pensions based on court decisions of the CoC, to heirs of deceased beneficiaries of pensioners, to be paid within 2022.

The time when the retroactive amounts were paid to the active retirees –October 2020– combined with the activation of a relevant electronic platform for the collection of the required conditions and supporting documents, requires a reasonable period of coordination of actions to complete the certification process of the beneficiary heirs.

For this reason and because it is estimated that this amount will be disbursed within 2022, the amount of outstanding liabilities of 2021 is artificially increased, with an equal change in liabilities on 31.12.22, which does not affect the budget result of the Main Insurance and Other Benefits sector. The One-Time Benefits Division of e-EFKA is expected to present unpaid liabilities amounting to 190 million euros on 31.12.21.

Final result

The cash balance of the three insurance branches of e-EFKA, not including the financial transactions, is expected to be formed on 31.12.2022 in surplus of EUR 144.2 million against an estimate of a deficit of € 76.9 million for the year 2021.

The budget result (ie not including financial transactions and taking into account the change in outstanding liabilities) is expected to reach 325.3 million euros compared to an estimate for 2021 of 11.9 million euros.