26.10.2026 08:30
Approximately 1 million people are expected to benefit from the new regulation prepared for the cancellation of General Health Insurance (GSS) premium debts. If the regulation is enacted, unpaid premium debts from 2016 and earlier will be canceled together with late payment penalties and increases. While the debts are envisaged to be removed as of January 1, 2027, debts from 2017 and subsequent years will remain outside the scope.
Details of the new regulation concerning citizens with premium debts under the General Health Insurance (GSS) have begun to emerge. The bill planned to be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) aims to cancel a portion of GSS premium debts remaining from past years. If the regulation becomes law, approximately 1 million people are expected to be relieved of their debt burden.
DEBTS OF APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION PEOPLE WILL BE CANCELLED
The expected regulation will cover unpaid GSS premium debts incurred before January 1, 2017. Thus, approximately 1 million people with debts from 2016 and earlier are expected to benefit from the regulation.
GSS premium debts for 2012-2015 had been removed by previously enacted laws. The new regulation aims to cancel debts remaining from 2016 as well.
LATE PAYMENT PENALTIES AND LATE PAYMENT INTEREST WILL ALSO BE CANCELLED
The regulation will not be limited to unpaid premium amounts only. Late payment penalties and late payment interest tied to debts within scope will also be removed.
Thus, additional amounts accumulated due to premium debts remaining from past years will also be cancelled. However, this practice will apply only to debts belonging to the periods specified in the regulation.
DEBTS FROM 2017 AND LATER ARE OUT OF SCOPE
One of the most notable details of the regulation is that GSS premium debts for 2017 and subsequent years are kept out of scope.
Accordingly, premium debts incurred in 2017, 2018, 2019 and subsequent years will not be cancelled. The payment obligation for these periods will continue.
For example, for a citizen with GSS premium debts for both 2016 and 2020, only the debt for 2016 may be removed. The debt for 2020 will continue.
NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE TO THOSE WHO PAID THEIR DEBT
There is also an important detail for citizens who previously paid GSS premium debts from past years.
Under the regulation, no refunds are envisaged for people who paid their debts for 2016 and earlier partially or in full.
Therefore, the regulation will not provide for the return of payments made in the past, but for the removal of debts within scope that have not yet been collected.
WHEN WILL GSS DEBTS BE CANCELLED?
The new regulation is envisaged to be implemented as of January 1, 2027. However, for the debts to be cancelled, the bill must be accepted by the TBMM and published in the Official Gazette to enter into force.
For this reason, the regulation has not yet been finalized. After the legislative process is completed, it will become clear on what date and under what conditions the debts will be cancelled.
WILL THOSE WITH GSS DEBTS BE ABLE TO GO TO HOSPITAL?
The practice allowing citizens with GSS and BAĞ-KUR premium debts to benefit from public health institutions had been extended until December 31, 2026.
Within this scope, people with premium debts can receive healthcare services from hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health and state university hospitals under the specified conditions.
However, restrictions linked to premium debts continue regarding benefiting from private hospitals contracted with the SGK. The cancellation of old debts will not automatically grant people with debts for subsequent years the right to benefit from private hospitals.