1. SOCIAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION
LAO PDR
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE
SOCIAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION
Country Presentation
By:
Manola Daravong
Veomany Khamphay
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Website:

2. Presentation Outline Country profile and health indicators Challenges
Social Security principle
Social Security Schemes in Laos
Benefits package of SSS
Women entitlement under SSS benefits
Other benefits and social protection development

3. Country profile and Health indicators
- Population 6.7 Million
- Country area 236,800 sq.km
- Pop. Informal Eco. 75%
- Poverty 25%
- GDP per capita $ 1,645
- GDP growth 8.1%
Health indicators:
- MMR/100,
- IMR/1,
- U5MR/1,000 61
- Life expectancy at birth
68 year:
- Males:
- and Females:
Source: world Bank and WHO 2012
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4. Challenges Poor maternity protection for women in rural areas
High vulnerability to loss of income and maternity related cost
Limited access to qualified health care provision (economic, physical, cultural)
Maternity Mortality Rate (MMR) remains very high compared in the region
Lack of awareness and limited access to information and counseling
Gender inequalities
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5. Social security principle
Promote gender equalities
Improving access to quality health care
Better condition /environment of working
Reducing vulnerability to income loss and social economic empowerment of women
Improving access to information, prevention and counseling
Promoting breastfeeding arrangement or opportunities
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6. Social Protection Systems in Lao PDR
The social protection system in Laos is formed by three social security schemes and one safety net
The four schemes are implemented in a fragmented way whereby two are run by Ministry of labour and two by Ministry of Health, as follows:
- State Authority for Social Security (SASS)
- Social Security Organization (SSO)
- Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI)
- Health Equity Fund (HEF)

7. State Authority for Social Security (SASS)
Established in 2008 and a compulsory scheme
Under Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
Covers civil servants and their dependant spouse and children under 18 years or 23 if continue to study
Health care benefit is 1 of 8 benefits provided by the scheme, including health insurance, working injury benefit and short and long term benefits.

8. Social Security Organization (SSO)
Established in 2001
under Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
Covers private and state-own enterprise employees and their dependant spouse and children under 18 years or 23 if continue to study
Provide 8 benefits (short and long term benefits)
It’s a so-called mandatory scheme, therefore very low compliance with approx. 36% of targeted employers enrolled
From F.Y the SASS & SSO will be merged to be the National Social Security Fund

9. Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI)
Lunched as pilot project by Ministry of Health in 2002
It is a voluntary social health insurance scheme for informal economy
Members are eligible for health package obtained from primary health care providers and referral hospital at provincial level
Low enrolment and high drop-out rate

10. Health Equity Fund (HEF)
Financed by government and donors launched in 2004
Targeted at the poor
Run by Ministry of Health and some HEFs are administered by Non-state Partners (e.g: the lao Red Cross/Swiss Red Cross)
Using either reimburse providers or a combination of capitation and case-based reimbursement
Utilization of services trend to increase

11. Social Security Systems in Laos
Target
Source of fund
Benefits
State Authority Social Security
(SASS)
Public sector
Contributions:
- 8% from state employee
- 8.5% from Government
8 type of benefits
Social Security Organization (SSO)
Private sector
- 5.5% from employee
- 6% from employer
Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI)
Community
Contributions based on family size in a fixed amount, (13,000 to 33,000 LAK/month/family
Health Insurance
Health Equity Fund
The poor
Government and NGOs pay capitation to CBHI

12. Source: National Health Insurance Bureau, MOH

13. Benefit Package
1. Employment injury and occupational disease; 2. Health Insurance; 3. Sickness benefit; 4. Maternity benefit; Short-term benefits 5. Funeral grant; 6. Old age pension; 7. Survivor pension; Long-term benefits 8. Unemployment benefit.

14. Women entitlement under social security benefits
Health care services including pregnancy and delivery services
Sickness benefit
Maternity benefit:
replacement of income of an insured working woman for a period before and after confinement
Qualify period : Have contributed to the SSO fund at least 8 months within the last 12 months
Calculation of maternity Benefit: equivalent of 100% of the insured salary for a period of three months
Survivor benefit
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15. Other benefits Exemption of charges for MNCH
Equality for health care services (rich and poor)
1 hour/day for breastfeeding
Women entitle to maternity leave of 105 days per child (if twin will be 120 days)
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16. However, the coverage of all schemes is still low about 22
However, the coverage of all schemes is still low about 22.47% of total population
Maternal, neonatal and child health services is still limit in some areas.
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17. Social protection development
The government committed to extend social protection universally by 2025
Expand the exemption of charges for MNCH national wide
Merging social security schemes in to the national social security fund
Expand the scope of social security coverage to informal sector including self employed and common people.
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18. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
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