حازم رحاحلة

سعادة الدكتور حازم رحاحلة

مدير عام المؤسسة العامة للضمان الإجتماعي

Provided technical and advisory assistance to SEC. SEC was responsible for reviewing and approving national economic policies and assess reform measures proposed by different ministries and public entities. Among the most important advisory services provided to the government; reviewing country’s fiscal policy, assessing the national policy for enhancing social protection in the country, analyzing the labor market and providing various options to enhance employment and lower unemployment rates among nationals, suggest measures to improve the fiscal position of the country with a lens on social aspects

Led the analytic activities needed to support the reform of social insurance plans (old age and early retirement scheme, disability insurance, work injury and occupational disease). These activities entailed assessing the long-term fiscal viability of these schemes, identify the loopholes in the Social Security Law, measuring the financing gap, assessing the generosity of plans’ benefits, reviewing the incentives structure and adequacy of social benefits as well as the affordability and viability of financing sources, namely contributions
Led the work on designing reform package for the existed social insurance schemes aims at enhancing their future financial viability. The package included changing benefits’ formulas and eligibility criteria to reduce adverse incentives towards early retirement, enhance cross subsidies among beneficiaries to which a progressive benefit structure was introduced in old-age and disability schemes, among other measures. The distributional and financial implications of these measures were assessed via in-house developed modelling techniques. A new social security law was drafted based on this work, which has been approved by the cabinet and then by the parliament. According to long-term actuarial assessment of the new law provisions, the entire system breakeven point was pushed twenty years ahead the status quo
Led the research on possible options for covering and financing a comprehensive employment-based health insurance scheme. This project aimed at extending health insurance coverage among the uninsured population. Several technical studies were conducted with a collaboration with ILO and the World Bank on filling the coverage gap among the employed population and their dependents. The scheme was designed to be PAYG system financed through monthly contributions from both, the employers and their employees. Different coverage extension scenarios (vertically and horizontally) were assessed against different dimensions such as future financial sustainability, coverage affordability, fairness and equity aspects. Several subsidy options were also considered for low-income earners. The proposal was discussed with health sector’s stakeholders, and the government has agreed to include a new provision in the social security law which allows the corporation to play a role in filling the coverage gap among workers. As an initial step, the Social Security Corporation, together with the Ministry of Health and National Aid Fund has opened a voluntary health insurance window
Designed an unemployment individual saving accounts insurance scheme with the collaboration with the World Bank team. While similar schemes have been introduced in several countries around the world especially in Latin American countries, the scheme has introduced an innovative vehicle which allows contributors to leverage their old-age benefits against borrowing from the unemployment fund. The World Bank has quoted this scheme as among best global practices. Currently, the scheme covers more than 700 thousand contributors, and yet more than 10 thousand unemployed persons have benefited from the fund
Participated in designing a new maternity insurance scheme in collaboration with International Labor Organization. The scheme was introduced in 2010 and implemented in 2011. As of today, it covers females working in the private sector with minor exceptions. The new scheme covers 10 weeks of total salary after delivery and financed through the monthly contributions from employers