Social Insurance Institute

The Idryma Kinonikon Asfaliseon, Greek Ίδρυμα Κοινωνικών Ασφαλίσεων, abbreviated IKA, is the carrier of statutory social security for workers in Greece. The correct and full name is now IKA -ETAM (Greek Ιδρυμα Κοινωνικών Ασφαλίσεων - Ενιαίω Ταμείο Ασφάλισης Μισθωτών, dt " Organization for Social Insurance - unit fund for wage earners ").

Importance

The IKA was established in 1934 and is today the largest insurance institution in Greece. It provides coverage to approximately 6 million people directly or indirectly (through their families) insured and granted pensions to nearly one million citizens.

The IKA workers who are in Greece or abroad at a Greece-based employer in paid employment, but also those who carry out personal work under a contract in the main or secondary occupation for which no other general they insurance carrier are insured. Also, are insured by the IKA, various groups of people who have no fixed employer and their insurance through their associations or their insurance co-operatives carried out ( movers, newspaper sellers, butchers, etc.) or groups of persons who are covered by special regulations ( private nurses ). For employees, there is a statutory compulsory insurance. The employer has to pay contributions to the insurance carrier.

Services

In the health insurance coverage is generally through the provision of benefits in kind, that is to be taken advantage of by treatment at public hospitals, private clinics and hospitals contract of IKA -ETAM. In urban areas, the insured can choose their doctor from a list, in rural areas, however, there is no free choice of doctor; the insured person has to visit the local competent physician of the insurance carrier.

The treatment is free of charge. This also applies to dental treatments and investigations in the laboratories of the IKA. The IKA also assumes the costs of prostheses, medical devices such as pacemakers, hearing aids, wheelchairs and contact lenses, if the need is substantiated by a medical report from the attending physician. Only prescription drugs, patients must pay 25 % of the price.

In case of illness and sickness benefits for up to two years will be paid depending on the period of insurance. Other benefits granted by IKA -ETAM are childbirth allowances, maternity benefit, invalidity pensions, old-age pensions, survivors' benefits, injury benefits in case of accidents. The unemployment and child benefits, however, not the IKA, but the labor administration OAED is responsible.

Financial

The IKA suffers from chronic financial problems. In 2009, it had to be supported by the state with 2.6 billion euros. Press reports that the IKA called "black hole", its collapse was imminent, are however denied.

One of the causes of the desolate financial situation a variety of pension fraud is one who in 2011 uncovered: After it was noticed that pensions to over 9,000 retired will be paid at the age of 100 years, all retired for personal identification had to report. This has been revealed that 63,500 - had died, and in the last 10 years, about 7 to 8 billion euros had been paid to relatives of the deceased - in some cases long. Additionally, the Greek pension funds suffered heavy losses due to the carried out to address the financial crisis haircut because they had invested some EUR 8 billion contribution funds in Greek government bonds. Because of the financial crisis, the Greek government has also frozen grants to hospitals and insurance funds. Meanwhile unpaid bills of around two billion euros accrued, so that suppliers in the meantime only supply the state hospitals to advance and deliver medicines pharmacies cash only.