Two hundred thousand electronic letters to freelancers, self-employed and farmers with debts of less than €2,000 will be sent this week by the services of EFKA inviting them to either pay off or settle their debts in up to 24 installments in order not to lose their insurance capacity

The email will emphasize that if they do not settle their debts by the February 29 deadline, they will not be able to secure insurance coverage for themselves and their protected family members.

The administration of EFKA decided to send electronic notices to this particular category of debtors due to the low amount of debts which are easier (at least) to settle.

It is known that 165,000 insured persons owe up to €500 and from €501 to €2,000 the remaining 35,000.

In addition, “traditional” debtors with few debts are also more easily “accessible”.

Any loss of insurance capacity means that these debtors will have the right to access public health facilities, but they will not be entitled to free participation in examinations and medicines during visits to private doctors.

To those who expect that an extension will be given at the last minute or some care will be taken – as last year when there was the possibility of partial payment of contributions, specifically in favor of the health sector that corresponded to the class chosen by the insured -, the message of the leadership of the Ministry of Labor is that we are returning to normality since o Covid it is no longer such an important problem as to shut down the economy and that it is also a matter of social justice. They say to the ministry that both those who pay contributions and those who do not have the same salaries.

What will be done, however, is the undertaking of a legislative initiative in the next few days by Domna Michailidou to exceptionally provide free participation to vulnerable people, that is, the minor children of the insured, the disabled and the chronically ill. The exception will also be extended to those affected by natural disasters (fires, floods, etc.)

The processing of the data shows that 733,000 insured persons are at risk of immediate loss of insurance capacity. Apart from the 200,000 with debts up to €2,000:

-400,000 have debts of 2001-€15,000

-130,000 have debts of more than €15,000