The façade of the National Social Security Fund, in Beirut, in September 2023. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin)
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) released on Tuesday a new package of LL 42 billion, or about $472,000, to hospitals contracted with the fund for flat-rate surgical interventions.
According to a statement issued by the NSSF's public relations department, the total amount paid since the beginning of 2025 for this type of procedure now amounts to approximately LL 752 billion, or $8,450,000.
This is in addition to LL 448 billion for dialysis-related treatments, as well as LL 367 billion for health benefits covering notably medical consultations and medicines for the insured. The total amount disbursed by the fund since the beginning of the year amounted to nearly LL 1,567 billion, or about $17,607,000.
The SSNF also specified that “the release of financial advances intended to cover non-flat-rate hospital acts is imminent.” The director of the institution, Mohammad Karakeh, indicated that “the advance system, once approved by the board of directors and validated by the supervisory authority, will soon be applied to several types of acts,” notably classical medical care and intensive care. “A measure that should strengthen the confidence of the insured towards the NSSF and improve their access to care, especially after the revision of rates relating to non-flat-rate acts,” said Karakeh.
In mid-April, the NSSF said that drug price coverage and hospital rate coverage had returned to their pre-crisis level in Lebanon, amounting to 80 percent and 90 percent, respectively. Since the beginning of the crisis that erupted at the end of 2019, the NSSF coverage rate collapsed at the same pace as the value of the Lebanese Lira against the dollar. It began to be restored starting in 2022.