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<h1>Social Security Programs Throughout the World: The Americas, 2003</h1>
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<h1>Panama</h1>
<div class="exchangeRate">Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 1&nbsp;balboa.</div>
<h2>Old Age, Disability, and Survivors</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1941.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current laws:</span> 1954 and 1991.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employees and domestic workers.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage for the self-employed.</p>
<p>All foreign workers are covered except for those working in Panama for less than 2&nbsp;months under a foreign employment contract.</p>
<p>Public-sector employees are covered under the general system as well as a special system.</p>
<p>Exclusions: Agricultural workers employed for less than 3&nbsp;months annually and family members working for a family business.</p>
<p>Occasional and seasonal workers are to be covered under subsequent regulation.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> 6.75% of earnings.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> 2.75% of payroll.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> A percentage of contributions (1.04% of payroll for the administration of old-age, disability, and survivor benefits; sickness and maternity benefits; and work injury benefits) and the proceeds of an earmarked tax on alcohol, plus no less than 20.5&nbsp;million balboas a year.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Old-age pension:</span> Age&nbsp;62 (men) or age&nbsp;57 (women) with 180&nbsp;months of contributions. Retirement is necessary.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension:</span> A loss of 2/3 of earning capacity, with 36&nbsp;months of contributions including 18&nbsp;months during the last 3&nbsp;years; a total of 180&nbsp;months of contributions.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability grant:</span> The insured does not meet the qualifying conditions for a full pension but has at least 12&nbsp;months of contributions, including 6&nbsp;contributions in the year prior to the onset of disability.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension:</span> The insured met the qualifying conditions for the disability pension or was a pensioner at the time of death.</p>
<h3>Old-Age Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Old-age pension:</span> 60% of average earnings during the best 7&nbsp;years of earnings, plus 1.25% of earnings for every <span class="nobr">12-month</span> period of contributions in excess of 180&nbsp;months.</p>
<p>Deferred pension: An additional 2% of earnings for every <span class="nobr">12-month</span> period of contributions after the retirement age.</p>
<p>Dependents' supplements (at the normal retirement age): Twenty balboas a month for a wife, 10&nbsp;balboas for each child under age&nbsp;18 (no limit if disabled); up to a maximum of 100&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly pension is 175&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly pension with 25&nbsp;years of coverage and average earnings of 1,500&nbsp;balboas a month is 1,500&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>The pension plus dependents' supplements cannot exceed 100% of average earnings used for the pension calculation.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Pensions are adjusted on an ad hoc basis depending on economic conditions.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension:</span> 60% of average earnings during the best 7&nbsp;years of earnings, plus 1.25% of earnings for every <span class="nobr">12-month</span> period of contributions in excess of 180&nbsp;months. If total coverage is less than 7&nbsp;years, the pension is based on 60% of average earnings during the period credited.</p>
<p>Dependents' supplements: Twenty balboas a month for a wife, 10&nbsp;balboas for each child under age&nbsp;18 (no limit if disabled); up to a maximum of 100&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly pension is 175&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability grant:</span> A lump sum is paid equal to 1&nbsp;month's pension for every <span class="nobr">6-month</span> period of contributions.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Pensions are adjusted on an ad hoc basis depending on economic conditions.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension:</span> 50% of the pension paid or accrued to the insured is paid to a widow age&nbsp;57 or disabled or caring for a child. A limited pension is paid to other widows for 5&nbsp;years only. The pension is also payable to a dependent disabled widower.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Orphan's pension:</span> 20% of the insured's pension for each orphan under age&nbsp;14 (age&nbsp;18 if a student; no limit if disabled); 50% if a full orphan.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Other dependents (in absence of above):</span> The insured's mother or aged or disabled father receives 30% of the insured's pension; eligible brothers and sisters receive 20% of the insured's pension until age&nbsp;14.</p>
<p>The maximum survivor pension is 100% of the insured's pension.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Funeral grant:</span> 300&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Pensions are adjusted on an ad hoc basis depending on economic conditions.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Ministry of Health is responsible for national health policy.</p>
<p>Managed by a board of directors with tripartite representation and a director general with an advisory board for technical advice, the Social Insurance Fund administers the program.</p>
<h2>Sickness and Maternity</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1941.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 1954.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system. Cash and medical benefits.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employees in private and public employment and domestic workers.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage for the self-employed.</p>
<p>Pensioners are covered for medical benefits.</p>
<p>Exclusions: Agricultural workers employed for less than 3&nbsp;months annually and family members working for a family business.</p>
<p>Temporary workers and seasonal workers will be covered by subsequent regulations.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> 0.5% of earnings. Pensioners contribute 6.75% of the pension.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> 8% of payroll.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> A percentage of contributions (1.04% of payroll for the administration of old-age, disability, and survivor benefits; sickness and maternity benefits; and work injury benefits) and the proceeds of an earmarked tax on alcohol.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Cash sickness benefits:</span> Six months of contributions during the last 9&nbsp;months.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Cash maternity benefits:</span> Nine months of contributions during the 24&nbsp;months preceding the seventh month of pregnancy.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Medical benefits:</span> Currently covered or a pensioner. In case of unemployment, coverage continues for 3&nbsp;months after the end of employment (24&nbsp;months for those with 180&nbsp;months of contributions).</p>
<h3>Sickness and Maternity Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Sickness benefit:</span> 70% of average earnings during the previous 2&nbsp;months. The benefit is payable after a <span class="nobr">3-day</span> waiting period for up to 52&nbsp;weeks for one illness.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Maternity benefit:</span> 100% of average earnings in the last 9&nbsp;months, payable for up to 6&nbsp;weeks before and 8&nbsp;weeks after the expected date of childbirth.</p>
<h3>Workers' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Benefits include general and specialist care, surgery, hospitalization, laboratory services, medicines, dental care, and maternity care.</p>
<p>Medical services are normally provided directly through the facilities of the Social Insurance Fund or are provided by the Ministry of Health, with the cost reimbursed. In special cases, including those in which the Fund or Ministry have no facilities, the cost of private care obtained in the country or abroad may be reimbursed in part or in full, with the authorization of the Fund.</p>
<p>There is no limit to duration if the medical service is necessary.</p>
<h3>Dependents' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Benefits include general and specialist care, surgery, hospitalization, laboratory services, medicines, and dental care. Benefits are provided to the insured's wife and children under age&nbsp;18 (age&nbsp;25 if a student or disabled), a dependent mother, a disabled father, or parents over age&nbsp;60.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Ministry of Health is responsible for national health policy.</p>
<p>Managed by a board of directors with tripartite representation and a director general with an advisory board for technical advice, the Social Insurance Fund administers the program.</p>
<p>Social Insurance Fund operates its own hospitals and other medical facilities in larger cities.</p>
<h2>Work Injury</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1916.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 1970.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Employer-liability system, involving compulsory insurance with a public carrier.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employees in private and public employment.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> Total cost met through the payment of insurance premiums. The cost of premiums varies with the assessed degree of risk. The average premium is 1.7% of payroll.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> None.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Work injury benefits:</span> There is no minimum qualifying period.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Permanent disability pension:</span> 60% of earnings, if 100% disabled.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly pension is 175&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly pension is 1,000&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<p>Partial disability: The pension is in proportion to the assessed degree of disability. The pension may be increased if the assessed degree of disability is greater than 35%; may be paid as a lump sum if the assessed degree of disability is 35% or less.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Benefits are reviewed every 2&nbsp;years.</p>
<h3>Workers' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>General and specialist care, surgery, medicines, hospitalization, and appliances.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension:</span> A widow or a disabled widower receives 25% of the insured's earnings for life; 30% if the survivor is the sole beneficiary or is disabled.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Orphan's pension:</span> 15% of the insured's earnings for one orphan, 25% for two, 35% for three, and 40% for four or more orphans under age&nbsp;18. Full orphans receive 15% each for two or more children under age&nbsp;18.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Other dependents (in order of priority):</span> The insured's mother may receive between 20% and 30% of the insured's earnings in the absence of a surviving wife or children. The pension is payable for 10&nbsp;years. Brothers or sisters under age&nbsp;18 (no limit if disabled) and other aged or disabled or older relatives up to great grandparents receive 10% each, up to a maximum of 30%. The pension is payable for 6&nbsp;years.</p>
<p>The maximum total survivor pension is 75% of the insured's earnings. Pensions that take the total above the maximum are reduced proportionately.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Funeral grant:</span> 300&nbsp;balboas.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Managed by a board of directors with tripartite representation and a director general with an advisory board for technical advice, the Social Insurance Fund administers the program.</p>
<p>Ministry of Health is responsible for national health policy.</p>
<h2>Unemployment</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p>No statutory benefits are provided. (Under the 1972 Labor Code, workers are entitled to a severance payment at the end of the labor contract.)</p>
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