Page:CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090021-3.pdf/33

 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090021-3

treatment, for example convalescent care or physiotherapy, amounts to three-fourths of actual expenditure. The expenses of convalescent treatment are paid for a maximum of 60 days following each period of illness. Finally, certain prescribed medicines for the treatment of chronic and serious diseases are provided free to charge under the program, while other pharmaceutical preparations are sold at reduced rates.

Sweden's national health insurance program provides an added sickness or maternity benefit. A sickness benefit is the compensation paid for income lost due to illness, and it is calculated according to estimated annual income. The lowest (basic) sickness benefit paid is SKr6 per day. Payments made in excess of this sum are supplementary sickness benefits, and the maximum amount paid is SKr52 per day. The sickness benefit is tax free, and the period for which it can be paid is in principle unlimited. It is paid from and including the day after a person falls sick, provided that the person has reported sick to the insurance office. Women without an earned income of their own (i.e., housewives) also receive a sickness benefit. Housewives and students who are not insured for any supplementary sickness benefits can take out voluntary sickness benefit insurance. For a low premium they can receive, if sick, a maximum sum of SKr15 per day. In certain cases a children's bonus of SKr1, SKr2, or SKr3 per day is paid, depending on the number of children in the family.

The health insurance program additionally provides a maternity benefit of SKr1,080 to women giving birth. In the case of multiple births SKr540 extra is paid for each additional child. An employed woman is entitled to a supplementary sickness benefit for 180 days provided that she has been insured for a sickness benefit of at least SKr7 per day for 270 days or more prior to delivery.

Figure 20 describes the financing of national health insurance. The following tabulation shows the national annual health insurance charges in kroner for various income levels in 1970.

The health insurance charge, which is listed on the income tax return, consists of a premium paid by all persons who are registered with an insurance office at the end of the year. Certain persons (i.e., pensioners) are exempted from part of these charges, while a reduction may be made on the basis of declared income if it is below a certain minimum level. The charges for self-employed persons, however, are considerably higher than the regular fees.

c. Workmen's compensation

All employees in private and public employment are covered under work injury insurance. Although this insurance program falls outside the National Insurance Act, it is coordinated with the national health insurance program, so that all compensation during the first 90 days is paid according to the provisions of the act. After this 90-day period, the Occupational Injuries Insurance Program pays all necessary medical costs. Sickness benefits are then received as special rates, and the rates are never below those received in the case of ordinary sickness. The program offers life-long payments for permanent disability, and in case of death dependents receive insurance compensation. This type of insurance is financed primarily through assessment of employers, although employees and the national government contribute indirectly through their payments for health insurance (Figure 20).

d. Unemployment insurance

Unemployment insurance is a voluntary program, which, like workmen's compensation, comes outside the National Insurance Act. The program is subsidized by the national government and supervised by recognized unemployment insurance societies, of which were were 46 in 1969, with approximately 1,766,000 members, or roughly one-half the total number of employees. Although coverage is generally limited to employees, employer associations are permitted to set up unemployment insurance societies for their members. To qualify for benefits from a society, a member must be at least 16 years of age, unemployed, able to accept employment, and registered with the public employment service. No benefit is payable unless the insured person has been unemployed for 5 days over a period of 5 calendar weeks. During these 5 days the person must be registered with the public employment service as unemployed and looking for work. An applicant need undergo this waiting period only once during the insurance year. Payments from unemployment insurance societies take the form of a daily benefit ranging from SKr18 to SKr50, and a supplemental benefit of SKr2 per day for each child. These benefits, which are tax exempt, are payable for only 5 days a week as may not (except under a few special

25

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090021-3