Every salaried worker has social security contributions deducted each month, but many have never used the entitlement or do not know what they get. This article summarises the medical treatment entitlements of insured persons in plain terms.

Who is an insured person

The social security system covers insured persons under several sections. The main ones are Section 33 for employees within the system, Section 39 for those who have left employment and continue contributing themselves, and Section 40 for the self-employed. The benefits under each section differ. This article focuses mainly on the medical entitlements under Sections 33 and 39.

The medical entitlement you receive

An insured person chooses one registered hospital and can receive treatment there at no charge for the services covered, both outpatient and inpatient. It covers ordinary illness, accidents, dental treatment up to a specified limit, childbirth, and high-cost conditions under the applicable criteria. There are also entitlements beyond treatment, such as compensation for loss of income in cases of illness, disability, old age and unemployment, under each case's conditions [check the latest information].

Common misunderstandings

  • "You must always go to your registered hospital." Not true in a critical emergency, where you may go to the nearest hospital under the UCEP policy, and accident cases have more lenient conditions under the criteria.
  • "The entitlement disappears the moment you leave your job." Cover continues for a period after leaving, under the conditions, and you may apply for Section 39 within the time limit.
  • "You can't change hospital." You can, during the periods the Social Security Office opens for selection each year.

The limits worth planning around

As with other state entitlements, social security covers standard treatment at your registered hospital. What it does not cover is additional convenience — a private room, choosing a private hospital near home outside the entitlement, or skipping the queue — and the compensation for loss of income has a ceiling under the criteria. Anyone wanting that flexibility usually supplements it with private health insurance within a suitable budget.

How to check your own entitlement

You can check your insured status, your registered hospital and your contributions through the Social Security Office's channels, both the website and the app. It takes a few minutes. We recommend checking at least once a year, particularly when changing jobs or moving house.

In short

Social security is an entitlement you have been contributing to all along. Getting full value starts with knowing what it includes, choosing a registered hospital convenient for your real life, and planning supplements only for what is missing. That way the state entitlement and your own money work together efficiently.