Karki Meets American University Employees' Union: Lump-Sum Amounts to Be Reassessed Soon

General Manager of the National Social Security Fund Muhammad Karki received George Jarji, president of the American University in Beirut employees' union, in his office, accompanied by the union's secretary general Abbas Hariri, where they discussed the status of social security and the benefits it provides to insured individuals, particularly in light of reforms and improvements in social and health benefits since the beginning of 2025.

In this context, the General Manager informed the union delegation about an upcoming increase in family allowances to alleviate the burden of living expenses on insured individuals and their families.

As for the central topic of the meeting, it was the reassessment of lump-sum amounts paid to beneficiaries, given that the American University relies on this mechanism to cover medical and healthcare services for its employees.

The union delegation presented the current coverage situation, noting that "the amounts paid by the fund today do not exceed 50 percent of what they were before the crisis.

Dr. Karki expressed support for this request, confirming that "the issue of lump-sum amounts will be reassessed soon based on financial results up to September 30, 2026, taking into account recent developments in healthcare costs, and helping enable university employees and management to continue using this contractual mechanism with the fund.

On another note, the delegation praised the impact of Memorandum No. 847, recently issued, which allows retired insured individuals to benefit from exemption from contributions, enabling them to receive coverage through a formal guarantor entity for one family member.

In turn, Dr. Karki noted that an internal circular will soon be issued to explain the procedure for benefiting from this measure, highlighting its importance in reducing burdens on retirees and on employees responsible for insuring their dependents, as it allows access to health coverage without imposing additional financial burdens.

At the end of the meeting, the union delegation commended "the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by the fund's management toward all its partners, ensuring the well-being of insured individuals, healthcare providers, and institutions alike."