SSS sets 10-yr grace period to settle claims

MANILA, Philippines - The Social Security System (SSS) has set a 10-year grace period for members to submit  an application for adjudication with respect to retirement, death and disability claims.

The 10-year prescriptive period also covers petitions contesting settled claims, the SSS said.

The move would eliminate problems in the validation of submitted documents.

The start of the 10-year prescriptive period depends on when the claim was originally settled. For claims settled before March 1, 2006, the 10-year prescriptive period would start on the said date.

For claims settled on or after March 1, 2006, the prescriptive period would start on the initial settlement date of the retirement, disability or death claim.

March 1, 2006 was the effectivity date of SSS office Order 208-P which first set a 10-year prescriptive period for the re-adjudication of settled retirement, death or disability claims.

Among the exceptions to the 10-year prescriptive period include cases wherein the reason for benefit adjustment is not due to the fault or oversight of the member or claimant. This means the 10-year prescriptive period would not be applied in cases such as unposted contributions and additional credited years of service, payment for additional dependents (if SSS failed to include the dependents in the initial payment of benefit), change in the date of the contingency, and other cases not attributable to member/claimant.

The prescriptive period would also not apply for claims needing re-adjudication due to a change of guardian of the member or dependent, emancipation or death of dependents, re-marriage of spouse but with dependents under his/her custody, resumption of monthly pension that was supended due to non-compliance with the annual confirmation of pensioners, and payment of withheld shares for co-claimants in the death benefit.