General Health Insurance, known as GSS, originally covered only those insured under 4/a (employees), 4/b (self-employed/Bağ-Kur), voluntary insurance, and recipients of retirement, widow(er) or orphan pensions. With the enactment of Law No. 5510 on January 1, 2012, GSS became mandatory for all citizens. Many people unaware of this law have since accumulated GSS debts, creating financial difficulties.
To determine GSS obligations, an income test is required. Individuals under 25 or those who are students, whose monthly income according to the income test is 313 TL or below, are exempt from paying GSS contributions. Young people under 25 who are students can apply to the Social Security Institution (SGK) to have their GSS debts removed. To cancel GSS debt on this basis, a student certificate is required; this document is issued by the student affairs office of the educational institution where the person is enrolled. By submitting the student certificate to SGK, past-period GSS debts can be cleared.
What should people with GSS debt do? Anyone who does not meet the exemption criteria is obligated to pay GSS contributions. Accumulated debts grow over time due to interest and penalties when payments are delayed, which makes repayment more difficult. For this reason, it is important to pay GSS debts promptly to avoid escalation.
Failure to pay GSS contributions can have serious consequences. If an uninsured person faces a health problem, they may not be able to access services under the General Health Insurance scheme and could be left without coverage when medical care is needed. Therefore, it is essential to monitor GSS debt closely and make regular, timely payments to maintain access to health services and prevent additional fines and interest from increasing the burden.