4 million escape cut in INSS proof of life

The end of the requirement of proof of life in person for retirees and pensioners of the INSS (National Institute of Social Security) prevented that up to four million benefits were suspended, according to the president of the institute, José Carlos Oliveira in an interview with leaf.

These are people who did not provide proof of life in 2020 and 2021 and, according to an ordinance from the body released in December, they would have the benefit blocked if they did not carry out the proof of life in person at the bank branches where they receive the benefit.

With the announcement this Wednesday (2) that the INSS will no longer suspend benefits until the end of 2022, the calendar is no longer valid. The suspension of payment of those who had not yet made the proof will also be reversed, said Oliveira.

New proof of life rules

• The INSS will not suspend payment of benefits until the end of 2022 due to lack of re-registration
• The calendar with the maximum deadlines for those who did not take the proof of life in 2020 and 2021 is no longer valid

• From 2023, proof of life will be done automatically, without the retiree having to leave home to go to the bank

• The government will cross-reference data in databases of the Union, states, municipalities and the private sector
• Payroll loan, vaccination and delivery of the IR statement will be valid as proof of life, for example

Benefits will not be suspended

According to Oliveira, no INSS beneficiary will need to worry about proof of life until the end of this year. “As of today, any and all proof of life is suspended. In the year 2022 we will not do it because it is the time we need to get all systems right, do all the procedures that will be necessary to prove that the insured is alive”, he said.

In the suspended calendar, the deadline for beneficiaries who did not re-register in 2020 ended in February. According to Oliveira, an evaluation will be carried out on the registration data to verify if there are beneficiaries who died, but who are in active payment.

“We’re going to beat the data of those who didn’t make it last year with our death system and, if they haven’t died, we’re going to restore the payment. [a prova de vida] during 2022. With proof of life returning in January 2023, these will be the first cases that we will verify.”

“I’ve already talked to the director of benefits to do our best to reinstate the payment. However, before that, we will check to make absolutely sure that these people have not died. If we were to suspend now, in February, we are talking about a universe of four million people [que teriam o pagamento suspenso].”

Until October, 3,313,845 policyholders in the country still needed to carry out proof of life from a total of around 36 million beneficiaries. According to the president, the publication of the now-suspended calendar was carried out at a time of change of command of the institute.

Oliveira took over as president of the institute on November 5. “I’ve always been against the test of life. Unfortunately we had the calendar released, but it was a time for change.”

INSS should not have budget cuts

The president also stated that the R$998 million cut in INSS expenses provided for in the Budget should be reversed by the government.

“We are talking to the government and there is a nod from the government for us to restore this resource that was taken from here. There is a guarantee that we will not lose the R$ 998 million cut from the budget, which was precisely the amount we obtained with the rapporteur of the Budget at the end of last year. In the PLOA (Proposed Annual Budget Law) for the INSS this year, R$ 1.4 billion was forecast. the government has already given us. So I’m not worried about cutting the budget,” he said.

Existing service channels remain valid

The proof of life made at home for people over 80 and people with reduced mobility, in addition to the digital proof of life in Meu INSS and the one made by proxy will continue to be valid, according to him. “If the insured wants to make use of the channels that already existed, without any problem, he can. However, during the year 2022, he does not need to worry about proof of life.”

Oliveira also stated that the INSS and the banks are studying actions to prevent fraud, especially in the contracting of payroll-deductible loans. The measures include a partnership with notaries across the country, already in progress, so that they recognize the signature of the insured when contracting the credit.