The GSS regulation has passed through the Parliament, and a new era is beginning in family medicine.

The proposal for the Law on Social Insurances and General Health Insurance, which includes regulations related to General Health Insurance, has been accepted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) and has become law.

REGULATIONS REGARDING FAMILY MEDICINE

With the amendment to the Family Medicine Law, the services provided to foreigners will be free of charge, except for those determined by the Ministry, including acupuncture and phytotherapy services provided by certified family physicians outside of working hours.

Family medicine services will be provided within the working hours approved by the local health administration, based on the request of the relevant family physician, and will not be less than 40 hours per week, except in emergencies, in accordance with the criteria determined by the Ministry.

The revenues collected from the services for which tariffs are determined by the Ministry will be deposited into an account to be opened in the revolving fund enterprises of provincial health directorates for this purpose. The criteria for spending the revenues collected in this account for health service provision, including the amounts that can be distributed to family physicians and family health workers, as well as other procedures and principles regarding distribution and spending, will be determined by the Ministry with the approval of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.

Data sharing can be conducted with the funds established for the personnel of banks, insurance and reinsurance companies, chambers of commerce, chambers of industry, stock exchanges, or unions they have established, in collaboration with SGK.

FOREIGN STUDENTS' ACCESS TO GSS

Foreign students can become General Health insured if they apply within 3 months from the start date of any academic year, provided that their registration continues.

International students who are granted scholarships by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities or the International Students Evaluation Board will be considered General Health insured during the periods their scholarship status continues. The premiums for General Health Insurance will be 4% of the determined minimum wage base.

CO-PAYMENT SET AT 20 LIRA

The law will introduce regulations aimed at increasing clinical research. Accordingly, the continuation of the social security and health rights guaranteed by the Constitution for patients participating in clinical research conducted in public hospitals and state universities, which are permitted and approved by the Ministry of Health, will also be ensured during the clinical research process.

With another amendment to the Social Insurances and General Health Insurance Law, the co-payment for outpatient treatment for physician and dentist examinations will be set at 20 lira. SGK will be authorized to reduce the co-payment for health services by up to half for those referred by primary healthcare providers.

The 5-point insurance premium discount provided for the disability, old age, and death insurance premiums that private sector employers will pay to SGK will be applied as 4 points. This provision will be effective from the beginning of the month in which the law is published.

The law specifies the payment periods for the General Health Insurance premiums of foreign students who are granted scholarships by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities or the International Students Evaluation Board, those who are undergoing legal internship, and those who are receiving pre-service training under the Law on the Training Centers for Personnel of Penal Institutions and Detention Centers.

OLD AGE AND DEATH INSURANCE PREMIUM DISCOUNT WILL CONTINUE

The 5-point discount on the disability, old age, and death insurance premiums for workplaces in the manufacturing sector will continue until December 31, 2026. The President will be authorized to extend this period until December 31, 2027.

The Social Insurances and General Health Insurance Law, which was accepted by the TBMM General Assembly and became law, amends the relevant legislation. Accordingly, the current practice will continue for the monthly calculations of insured individuals employed by one or more employers under a service contract for periods prior to October 2008.

Non-commissioned officer vocational schools and candidates undergoing basic military training to be commissioned as non-commissioned officers, candidates undergoing police training at police vocational training centers, and candidates undergoing basic military training to be commissioned as officers and non-commissioned officers at the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy and faculties and higher education institutions may be entitled to orphan's pension, and their orphan's pensions will not be cut. Monthly payments will be made to male children who receive a monthly allowance under the law or who gain the right to a monthly allowance after the law comes into force during their second undergraduate and graduate registrations.

OLD AGE PENSION CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED

Those whose insurance started before December 31, 2008 (inclusive) and who are employed by one or more employers under a service contract, with a loss of working capacity rate of 40% to 49%, will benefit from old age pensions with 18 years of insurance duration and 4,100 days of premium payments, while those with a loss of working capacity rate of 50% to 59% will benefit with 16 years of insurance duration and 3,700 days of premium payments.

For disabled individuals insured before October 2008, it is aimed to determine retirement processes based on the tax reduction certificate and to have all applications carried out by the Social Security Institution (SGK) according to the loss of working capacity. Those who benefited from tax reductions due to disability before the effective date will continue to receive their current monthly payments; for those subjected to control examinations, the loss of working capacity rates will be evaluated based on the new health board reports, taking into account the medical legislation in force on the date of the report that serves as the basis for the monthly payment, rather than the Central Health Board of the Revenue Administration.