Ten thousand signatures in eight months. One in five employees asks that their Monegasque social coverage, either from the CCSS or the SPME, is maintained once they retire.
Currently, an employee in the Principality that retires is automatically moved onto the health insurance plan of their country of residence. After having benefitted all along their career of the opulent Monegasque plan, the new retiree is forced to switch plans. Most are a lot less beneficial, for example in France, excluding irreplaceable medication for serious illnesses (cancer, diabetes, Parkinson, Alzheimer, etc.), you are only given a 15 to 65% refund, whereas the Monegasque plan accounts for 80% of the expenses. This is a situation that affects about 83% of the Principality employees, according to a recent study, 77% of them being French.
“Tremendous wealth”
A complete injustice for Olivier Cardot, assistant secretary of the Union of Syndicates of Monaco: “Retirement is the period in which we most need a good social coverage. Today, if you live in Monaco, even if you’ve only worked here for six months, you are covered by the CCSS plan. Yet, an employee that has worked in Monaco for 40 years but cannot afford to live here isn’t covered. A more logical system should be put in place, in a Principality where the employees produce tremendous wealth for the area”.
No means no!
The government firmly dismissed the workers plea: “The government has already expressed their stance on this matter multiple times, after careful evaluation. The State Ministry, after meeting with the Union of Syndicates of Monaco recently, clearly stated the reasons for which this claim could not be continued”.
Olivier Cardot explained the reasons that were given: “The State Ministry said that it would be too expensive and that it was non-negotiable”.
A reason that the assistant secretary will not accept: “In six years, Monaco’s GDP has increased by more than 37%. We have almost reached a GDP of 6 billion euros, and the claim for Monegasque health insurance would only cost between 220 and 240 million euros”.
The USM are determined to see it through: the social coverage of retirees will be the main focus at the Inter-professional Day of Mobilization on the 22nd of June.
