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Rabat – The Moroccan government spokesman, Mustapha El Khalfi, has said that the government will back the controversial Bill 63.16, which provides compulsory health coverage to the parents of the insured public sector employees.
El khalfi said the bill, which has been awaiting action ever since it was referred to the the house of councilors in 2016, would boost the purchasing power of the employees.
He added that through the implementation of the bill, Morocco’s health coverage spendings will see an increase. He presented the bill as part of the country’s endeavor to universalize access to basic health care to a wider cross-section of society.
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El Khalfi found it “irrational” that this bill has been shelved for three years. The bill, he added, will serve Morocco’s wider’ ambitious social project to the benefit of Moroccan citizens. El Khalfi noted that the Head of Government, Saadeddine Othmani, has reaffirmed his willingness to put the bill to good use for approximately one million insured employees in the public sector.
The reason why parliamentarians do not to see eye to eye in putting the bill into force is due its mandatory aspect MPs say it should be optional.
Based on the principle of solidarity and contribution among all social actors according to article 1 of health coverage code, the bill, critics have argued, would benefit some Moroccans off the backs of others. Critics lament that the law imposes salary and pension cuts even to all public sector employees, even those whose parents have died.
Earlier, El Othmani accused the Speaker of the House of Councilors, Hakim Benchemach, fof impeding the process of implementation after the law was referred to the lower house of parliament.
