Romain Schneider, Minister of Social Security; Credit: MSS

Luxembourg Minister of Social Security, Romain Schneider, today discussed the main successes made in 2017 and the priority issues for the year 2018 in the field of social security.

One of the reflections made on social security issues last year was the improvements made to health insurance benefits by the Quadripartite Committee on 18 October 2017. These included, among other things, a reduction in the expenses incumbent on families, including those related to the services of doctors provided to children and young people under 18 years old which has been increased to 100% with effect from 1 January 2018.

A review was also made of the long-term care insurance reform, which also came into effect on 1 January 2018 and has brought fundamental changes to the system with the goal of enhancing quality through clear standards and criteria with appropriate controls. Its aims are to increase the flexibility of care provision to better meet the individual needs of dependents, simplify administrative procedures and ensure the financing of the system.

Other topics discussed included the implementation of collective labour agreements, signed by the government for the hospital and care sectors in October 2017, and three bills currently being discussed in parliament: the reform of social security governance which aims to modernise the framework of social security governance and better define the tasks of the various bodies; the Mutuals Reform which provides for a modernised and simplified legal framework for mutuals; the reform of supplementary pension schemes which transposes a European directive and which will make the supplementary pension sector more attractive.

Regarding the Compensation Fund, the Minister also highlighted the efforts made to develop a socially responsible and sustainable investment policy before discussing the financing of four MRI machines, which aims to significantly reduce waiting times by allocating four additional devices, as well as third party paying and the question of 52 weeks and gradual resumption of work, an agreement that reduces the number of weeks in this area from 52 to 26.