SSS sickness benefit covers lost income due to sickness

Rey Anthony Chiu 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, March 24, 2012 (PIA) – Unlike what most members believe, sickness benefits for Social Security System (SSS) are not for medical expense, but only for filling up a member’s lost daily earnings due to sickness. 

SSS Field Inspectorate Section Chief Dioscoro Madanguit explained this during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA Thursday. 

Madanguit, along with SSS Bohol Filed Office Head Marino Talictic who came to the radio forum aired live over DyTR Am to clarify issues about the membership benefits as well as reveal a new amnesty program on loan penalties for SSS individual members. 

SSS is a government owned and controlled corporation which services caters to individual or company members workers in the private sector, or those who opt to be voluntary members, including non-working spouses. 

Social security membership automatically extends Sickness benefits, maternity, disability, retirement, old age pension and death benefits including funeral benefits, Mandanguit enumerates. 

But unlike the government service insurance that has medical benefits, SSS fills up sickness benefits computed on the daily wage basis coverage of the member. 

Without a membership, a daily wage earner who falls sick loses his income, but with sickness benefits, he can claim for 90% of his daily wage which can be determined on his monthly rate where he bases his contributions, Madanguit said. 

Moreover, with its short loan privileges for members, SSS is again offering its member loan penalty condonation program. 

According to Talictic, SSS branch head, members who have been deducted SSS payments by their employer for loan payments but employer failed to remit such could already be penalized. 

But under the new program, members who paid at least three monthly contributions in the last 6 months before filing the application can practically pay no penalty for accumulated arrears until April 1, 2012. 

Availment of the loan condonation program is only until September 30, according to SSS. 

Members only need to show the payslip which shows the deduction made for loan application, or a certification, if not, applicant’s notarized affidavit stating deduction from the salary for the loan amortization or certification that the member has paid the contribution before the month of filing is done. 

Talictic also said beneficiaries of a deceased member with outstanding payments but needs to file death claims during the availment period can also use the amnesty program. 

In this case, accumulated penalties until April 1, 2012 are wiped out. 

Mode of payment however is by deducting the full amount of the outstanding loan and accumulated penalties until April 1, 2012 from the death benefit claim. 

Also eligible for the loan penalty amnesty are those members who have paid lesser than 3 monthly amortizations and members who file for retirement or total disability claim within the availment period. 

For more information, visit the local SSS Office, urged Talictic. (30)