Public Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HCF Regulations

The National Healthcare Financing Governing Committee or "Committee" would like to notify the public of the proposed amendments to National Healthcare Financing Act NHCFA Regulations aka HCF Regulations. Click here for details.

(English) $50 Supplemental Benefit to be Deposited

Social Security Administratrion wishes to inform all Social Security Beneficiaries that beginning June 01, 2016 and every 1st of the month thereafter,

1. The $50 Supplemental Benefit will go directly into your bank account instead of your mail box if you already have direct deposit of your benefit or ACH.

2. For those who do not have direct deposit or ACH, you check will continue to your mail box.

Social Security Administration is making this change for convenience, less incidence of lost checks, less checks to clear and savings on administrative cost. We continue to encourage our old and new customers to sign up for direct deposit as it is available for your convenience. Call us at 488-2457 to sign up or if you have any questions.

(Palauan version)

A obis ra Social Security Administration a ouchais ra rokui el mesuk a udoud ra SS el kmo:

1. Ngomuchel ra Kot el Kebesengil a Ongelolm el Buil, e sel $50.00 el supplemental benefit a di mora bank account er kau alsekum a ududem ra Social Security a mora account er kau er chelchal taem.

2. Alsekum e ke melai ra ududem ra Social Security lokiu a mail, e sel $50.00 el supplemental benefit er kau a melemolm el mora mail box er kau el di oisisii sel klungel a ududem el di mo imong el check.

Aki olengit malsekum eng dirkak moterkeklii a Bank er kau ma account el mousbech er ngii, e moutekangel el mo kutmeklii mebol sebechel a ududem el di melmalt el mora Bank er kau. Tiang a ngosukau meng diak el riid a check er kau e dirrek el mo diak mechesang el mora Post Office ra bekl buil. Ng dirrek el ngoseuir a obis er kid ra SS meng mo diak loltobed a betok el chocherael el check ra bekl buil. Momekedong ra 488-2457 a omousbech a ngeseu malchub eng ngar ngii a kerim.

Renewal of Business EIN

The Social Security Administration would like to inform all business owners of its new policy that was duly adopted by the SSA Board of Trustees on June 25, 2015, which mandated all business owners to annually renew their business EIN. This policy takes effect on December 31, 2015 therefore all existing and any new business EIN's will need to be renewed prior to December 31, 2015 and annually thereafter. Click here for details.

Increase of Maximum Taxable Wage

PUBLIC NOTICE/REMINDER
Posted November 2012

The Healthcare Fund, as administered by Social Security Administration, would like to remind all employed and self-employed individuals that pursuant to Section 302 of HCF Regulations, you need to complete your enrollment form as soon as possible, if you have not done so already. Completing your enrollment form will make it possible for you to do any of the following:

1. Enroll your dependents (spouse and children) on your HCF enrollment for them to be covered under your National Health Insurance (NHI) and to be able to use your Medical Savings Account (MSA).

2. Designate beneficiaries on your enrollment form in order to them to be able to use your Medical Savings Account (MSA). Designated beneficiaries are allowed access to your MSA only.

Since that eligibility to use either NHI and MSA for dependents or MSA for designated beneficiaries depends on when they are enrolled, the Administration recommends that you complete your enrollment form as soon as possible to ensure coverage and access to both NHI and MSA for dependents and access to your MSA for designated beneficiaries, when needed.

To complete your enrollment form, you need to come to Social Security Administration Office and talk to any of the staff at Member Service Section during regular business hours from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

Uleklatk el mora Buai
Posted November 2012

A Healthcare Fund el ngar cheungel a Social Security Administration a omeklatk er tirkel rokui el chad loureor el kmo, a doltirakl ra Section 302 ra HCF regulation e ngkirir a rokui el chad loureor el mera obis e complete a enrollment form er tir ra mereched el time. Sel obem moruul ra enrollment er kau eng sebechem el remuul aikakid el tekoi:

1. Ke lmuusch a ngklir a re dependents er kau (bechim ma rengelkem) ra HCF enrollment form me te mo sebechir el mo covered ra National Health Insurance(NHI) e dirrek el mo sebechir lousbech ra Medical Savings Account(MSA) er kau.

2. Ng sebechem el lmuusch a re ngklir a rechad el mo designated beneficiary er kau el tir a mo sebechir lousbech ra Medical Savings Account(MSA) er kau.

A re dependents er kau ma re designated beneficiaries er kau a mo sebechir lousbech ra NHI ma MSA er kau, al sekum me keme complete ra enrollment form er kau ra obis ra Social Security Administration. A Administration a kmal mengemedaol er tirkel dirkak el bel enroll me loutekangel el mera obis ra mereched el taem mele complete ra enrollment er tir mel sebechir a re dependents ma re designated beneficiaries er tir el mo ngara insurance ra mereched el taem.

Tial Obis ra Social Security Administration a kmal dinglai a chesmerel er a Monday el mo Friday ra 8 a.m. el mo 5 p.m. meng kmal sebechel a ngidil chad el me ra obis e complete ra enrollment form er ngii.

MSA Statement Will No Longer Be Sent Out to All Beneficiaries
Posted October 2012

The Office of HCF and Social Security Administration want to announce to all the HCF Beneficiaries that MSA Statement will no longer be mailed to each respective beneficiary anymore.

Both offices want to inform Beneficiaries that anyone can come to the office during regular working hours and get their MSA Statement. Please be advice that any information regarding MSA Statement cannot and will not be given over the phone.

The Administration in its service to the public seeks to develop a cost effective service that remains economically efficient.

If you have any questions or concerns about your MSA Statement, you can call SS Office at 488-2457 or HCF Office at 488-1904 during regular working hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), Monday to Friday.

MSA Statement a mo diak ki mail el mora rokui el beneficiaries
Posted October 2012

A Obis ra HCF ma Social Security Administration a ouchais er a rechad el ngar ngii a MSA er tir el kmo ng modiak ki mail a MSA Statement el mo er tir lomuchel er tial merael mei el buil el November 2012.

Ngidil chad el soal el mo medengelii a MSA er ngii a kmal ongtiall el mera obis ra SS ma lechub eng obis ra HCF el ngara klou el ospitar e nguu a MSA Statement er ngii. Aikal teblol obis a kmal lomeklatk ra rokui el chad el kmo ng diak el sebechel a ngidil chad lomkedong ra SS ma lechub eng Obis ra HCF el loker ra MSA balance er ngii. Ngidil chad el ngar ngii a MSA er ngii e soal mo medengelii a balance er ngii a kmal kirel mera ikal teblol obis enguu a statment er ngii.

A Administration a kmal melasm el oureor lobengkel a buai el meruul ra urerel el lultuil ra klungel a yosang ra HCF er chelchal taem e direk el kmal mo ngosuir a HCF ra kemanget el taem el merael el mei.

Authorize Your MSA to Pay for Your Dependents' Private Health Insurance Premium
Posted April 2012

The Social Security Administration would like to remind the public that pursuant to Section 404 of the Healthcare Fund Regulations, individuals may authorize funds from their medical savings accounts to pay for existing private health insurance premiums. You may also begin authorizing your MSA to pay for private health insurance premiums for eligible dependents and designated beneficiaries that you have enlisted in your HCF Enrollment Form.

To participate in this arrangement, interested individuals must complete a form provided by the Social Security Administration called “Authorizing Payment from my MSA to my Private Health Insurance Carrier”.  If anyone has any questions regarding this announcement, please call Social Security office at 488-2457 or the HCF office at 488-1904. For further information or to pick up authorization forms, please visit the Social Security Administration or call 488-2457.

ADB Releases Publication Celebrating Success of Healthcare Financing Program in Palau
Posted February 10, 2012

On January 23, 2012, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) officially released a publication entitled “Sustainable Health Care Financing in the Republic of Palau”.

In a transmittal to Vice-President Kerai Meriur, chairperson of the Healthcare Fund (HCF) Governing Committee, ADB Country Specialist Anthony Gill explains, “This publication celebrates the excellent work your government undertook in preparing and implementing the scheme.  The publication is also intended to encourage other Pacific Island Countries to consider this approach.”

According to ADB’s official website, the publication “describes the successful development in 2008–2009 of draft legislation aimed at reforming health care financing in Palau, and its enactment by the legislature and signature by the President of the country in 2010.”

The successful development and enactment of that legislation led to the establishment of the HCF program, which is currently administered by the Social Security Administration. The HCF consists of two components: individual Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) and National Health Insurance (NHI).

MSA funds are used to pay for outpatient medical services at Belau National Hospital (BNH) and participating private clinics, as well as private health insurance premiums. NHI is a pooled social health insurance fund for inpatient care at the BNH and approved medical referrals to the Philippines.

To see ADB's full description, visit the Asian Development Bank's website or download a free PDF copy.

HCF Survey Now Available
Posted October 03, 2011

After six months since the establishment of Medical Savings Accounts and the National Health Insurance, the HCF is conducting a public survey that will help determine what can be done to improve and enhance the program and to see what additional services can be covered.

The survey is now available at the Social Security and Healthcare Fund offices. Or you can complete the survey online or download a hardcopy.

Private Clinics Accepting Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs)
Re-posted April 4, 2012

The Healthcare Fund, under the Social Security Administration, would like to inform the public that Torsten Schaudt Physiotherapy are now accepting medical savings accounts (MSAs). This brings the total number of private clinics currently accepting MSAs to six. Other private clinics also accepting MSAs are Belau Medical Clinic, Pacific Family Medical Supply, and MH Dental Clinic, Community Wellness Clinic, and OpticVision Optical Clinic.

We would like to remind the public that pursuant to Section 406 of the Healthcare Fund Regulations, the amount paid out of a medical savings account for a covered service at a private clinic shall not exceed the amount that would be paid to Belau National Hospital for the same service.

This means that if a service that a private clinic charges is more than what BNH would charge, then the private clinic patient must pay the excess amount out-of-pocket. If the private clinic charges less than what BNH would charge for that same service, then the patient can use his MSA to pay for that specific service with no out-of-pocket expense.

If anyone has any questions regarding this announcement, please call the HCF office at 488-1904.

Announcement to Parents whose Dependent Children are Over 18 Years Old
Posted April 14, 2011

The Healthcare Fund, under the Social Security Administration, would like to inform parents that if your dependent child is between 18 and 21 years of age, a “Certification of School Attendance” must be completed and submitted to the Social Security office as proof of eligibility for National Health Insurance.

Your child may continue to use your medical savings account but will not be eligible for coverage under National Health Insurance without a valid “Certification of School Attendance”. Forms are available at the Social Security office or the new HCF office at Belau National Hospital.

The HCF would also like to inform parents that if you have listed your 21 year old child as a dependent, but he/she is now 22 years old, he/she will NO LONGER have access to your medical savings account or be eligible for coverage under National Health Insurance. If you would like him/her to continue to use your medical savings accounts, you must visit the Social Security Administration to list your child as a designated beneficiary.

If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please visit the Social Security office or call us at 488-2457/1823.