OFWs given more time to file illness notices
The Social Security System is now allowing overseas Filipino workers who are its members to file sickness notifications with SSS offices abroad up to 35 calendar days—much longer than the previous five days—after the start of home confinement.
The state-run pension fund said that extending the prescriptive period for filing illness notifications for OFWs who do not require hospitalization was “in consideration of their limited time and accessibility to SSS offices abroad.”
As of mid-2015, the SSS had 1.07 million OFW members, up 9 percent from the 983,000 the previous year.
“For sickness notifications filed past the prescriptive period, the days of confinement to be covered by the SSS were deemed to start only on the fifth day immediately prior to the date of filing. Hence, the longer prescriptive period helps OFWs avoid lower benefit amounts or rejected claims due to late notifications, as compared with the previous five-day leeway,” Brenda P. Viola, officer in charge of the SSS medical services division, explained.
“With the extended 35-day prescriptive period, the OFW will be compensated for the entire 15 days that he was sick given the same date of filing for the sickness notification and assuming the benefit claim was filed on time,” she said.
The SSS sickness benefit is “a daily cash allowance granted to qualified members confined at home or in a hospital for at least four days, including the period of recovery, due to an illness or injury.”
“The number of compensable days is up to 120 days per calendar year that can be extended for another 120 days the following year for the same medical condition. Illnesses or injuries that persist over 240 days can qualify for SSS disability benefits,” the agency said.
The grant of an additional 30-day grace period to file sickness claims not requiring hospitalization is mandated under SSS Circular No. 2015-11 dated Aug. 18.
The circular was issued following Social Security Commission Resolution No. 524 which aims “to address the concern of members who are OFWs that due to the distance between their place of work/residence and the nearest SSS foreign office, their claim for sickness benefits are often penalized for late filing,” according to SSS president and chief executive Emilio S. de Quiros Jr.
Other benefits
The SSS reminded OFWs, who are considered voluntary members, that it likewise has prescriptive periods for filing sickness benefit claims—one year from start of illness for those confined at home, and one year from date of discharge for those confined in hospital.
“OFWs may file their sickness notifications and benefit claims in person, through a representative or via mail to any SSS office in the Philippines or overseas,” the agency said.
The SSS currently has foreign representative offices in Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.
“Within the year, we will announce our international toll-free numbers for queries on the SSS by our overseas members,” Viola said.
