The much-anticipated Omnibus Law was approved by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) by majority vote and its full text has been published in the Official Gazette. This law introduces numerous changes across various areas. The bill adopted by the TBMM in April 2016 included several Social Security Institution (SGK) provisions. Those provisions cover topics such as Kanal İstanbul, cancellation of unpaid General Health Insurance (GSS) premiums for young people up to age 25, mandatory traffic insurance, the reconstruction of Sur district in Diyarbakır, the assignment of 15,000 police officers in 2016, and measures related to the financing of terrorism, among others.
What Are the SGK Provisions of the Omnibus Law?
The General Directorate of Laws and Decrees states that the Omnibus Law contains multiple new regulations. The SGK-related provisions in full include the following items.
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ARTICLE 1 – Under the provision determined by SGK and in accordance with Law No. 3713, individuals receiving disability retirement pensions, those granted retirement pensions under Article 56 of Law No. 5434 and subparagraphs e and f of the first paragraph of Article 2 of Law No. 2330, and persons whose disabilities prevent them from living independently are covered for physical therapy and rehabilitation services by SGK until all treatments are completed or their disability status is finalized. This coverage also applies to those classified as disabled due to wartime injuries, and to family members who must care for a person with General Health Insurance who was injured as a result of an incident under Article 21 of Law No. 3713. For the individuals in this group, health institutions will provide up to 30 sessions of physical therapy and rehabilitation; if 30 sessions are insufficient, a specialist physician may extend treatment up to 60 sessions. All expenses for these individuals are paid by SGK.
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ARTICLE 2 – For determining eligibility for the elderly allowance, the calculation of need is revised: instead of using the household per capita average income, the assessment will be based on the combined income of the applicant and the applicant’s spouse at the time of application to decide whether they qualify as needy.
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ARTICLE 3 – The SGK provisions aim to support employment by offering insurance premium incentives to employers who hire individuals benefiting from social assistance programs defined by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies. The purpose is to help these beneficiaries enter the workforce and secure sustained employment.
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ARTICLE 4 – The Omnibus Law provides for the forgiveness of unpaid General Health Insurance premium debts up to the age of 25 for individuals who were covered under subparagraph (g) of the first paragraph of Article 60 prior to the publication date of the SGK provisions. In other words, outstanding GSS premium debts accumulated until the 25th birthday of eligible persons are to be canceled.
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ARTICLE 5 – According to laws determined by the Social Security Institution, insured employees who apply to hospitals or other health institutions for treatment may receive outpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation when it is deemed appropriate. The insured person’s social security coverage allows the treating institution’s specialist physician to perform physical therapy and rehabilitation up to eight hours per day. These treatments are invoiced to the relevant institutions as a service fee.
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ARTICLE 6 – For those covered by the first paragraph of the relevant article, all income of the individual and their spouse, regardless of source, is taken into account. Individuals whose per-person average monthly income exceeds one third of the net monthly minimum wage, or who are able to obtain income above the Constitutional Court (AYM) threshold, are not considered needy and are therefore ineligible to receive a monthly allowance. Corrections made to birth dates for individuals under the age of 65 are not taken into account in this determination.
These SGK-related provisions are part of a broader package addressing multiple sectors. The revisions aim to clarify benefit eligibility, expand coverage for certain disabled groups, encourage employment for social assistance recipients, and provide targeted debt relief for young people’s health insurance premiums. Implementation details and administrative procedures will be subject to SGK rules and relevant ministerial regulations.