"Without CAS payment" for pensions lower than 740 Lei

Health insurance contributions will no longer be retained from pensions lower than 740 lei, while in those exceeding this threshold, the amounts will be lower - has announced yesterday the National House of Public Pensions( CNPP).

As decided, in fact, by the Constitutional Court (CC) more than a month ago; the problem is that the decision has not been published yet in the "Monitorul Oficial" and therefore the CNPP cannot do it.

In other words, even though the decision exists and it is final, mandatory and valid in the future only, but its implementation delays.

On March 13, 2012 the Constitutional Court finds the ordinance which was withheld 5,5percent of all pensions is not constitutional and decided the withholding applies only to pensions exceeding 740 lei and only to the amount passing this amount threshold, not the whole pension.

In concrete terms, a person who has pension lower than 740 lei won't pay contribution. Who has, let’s take an example, more than 840 lei pays 5.5percent, but not out of total amount of 840, but the amount exceeding the threshold, meaning 100 lei, meaning substantially less.

Pensioners enjoyed and stormed Houses of Pensions with requests to stop deductions, because it was said by Constitutional Court.

Clerks from House of Pensions cannot apply the decision because it was not published in ‘Monitorul Oficial’ and the number of requests from elderly increased.

Besides the fact the situation has lasted for more than a month and it’s been trying their patience, the pensioners have one more complaint, they wanted the withheld amounts to be restored.

The Court decision will be mandatory and valid in the future only. About this entire situation, the Pensioners Federation president, Viorel Copil, comments that money will no longer be retained or not this much.


Translated by Ioana Vioreanu
MTTLC, Bucharest University