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social insurance.
717
to State Contribution to Sicknes« Benefit Societies, contain substantially
the following regulations.
Registration. The Act of 1910, like the earlier law, does not prescribe
compulsory registration. However, owing to an amendment of the law
introduced in 1912, whereby the unregistered sickness benefit societies were debarred
of all rights as "juristic persons", the existence of these latter funds in the
future is gravely menaced. Registration entails, among other advantages, full legal
rights, and moreover constitutes a condition for the receipt of State aid. To
be eligible for registration it is required (besides that the statutes are framed
in conformity with the prescriptions of the Act) that the number of members
shall be at least 100; notwithstanding, in certain cases registration may be
granted for a society with down to 25 members. A special type of sickness
societies is constituted by the so-called "fortsättningskassor" (continuation societies),
the mission of which is to provide sick pay when the sick allowance period in
the primary funds has expired.
Work of the Sickness Benefit Societies. In addition to sickness benefit,
the sickness societies under the terms of the Act, are also entitled to provide
funeral benefits, not exceeding 200 kronor, but are not permitted to indulge in
any other kind of activity foreign to their proper purpose. The law does not
render it incumbent on the societies to provide their members with medical
assistance, though it endeavours in various modes to encourage this aspect of
sickness benefit work. The cash benefits which in Sweden are the prevalent
form of sick benefit, shall amount to at least 90 ore a day, and, by reason of
the regulations as to State contributions, the upward limit is 4 kronor a day.
The period of sickness pay to each member shall extend to at least 90 days a
year. The law does not prescribe any upward limit: the sickness societies have
no limitations whatever imposed upon them as to the period of allowance. In
conformity with the Workmen’s Compensation Act, the law enacts that in cases
of accident occuring while at work, the sickness society shall in all cases furnish
sick benefit up to 60 days.
Fees and Accumulation of Funds. Registered sickness benefit societies
are under obligation to levy on their members fixed fees, in accordance with the
regulations of the Act, and extra assessment shall only be resorted to as an
emergency measure. The fixed fees shall be so proportioned that they suffice
for the necessary accumulation of funds, and the funds of the societies shall
not be applied to other objects than sick and funeral benefits.
Inspection. An important feature in the new sickness societies’ legislation
is the board of inspection created by the Act of 1910. That board has not
merely administrative, but also advisory and supervisory functions. The duties
assigned to the said board, which from 1913 forms part of the Royal Social
Board, are substantially as follows:
(1) To administer the registration of sickness benefit societies, and in
connection therewith to keep the register thereof.
(2) To furnish the sickness benefit societies with advice and information both in
the framing of their statutes, and in the planning and the organization of their work.
(3) To supervise and control the work of the societies and, when necessary,
to give instructions "for rectifying faults.
(4) To estimate and disburse the State subvention to the societies.
State Aid. Under the terms of the Royal Decree of the 4th July 1910,
the State subvention to the sickness benefit societies registered under the Act
of 1910 is disbursed on the following basis:
(1) 1 kr. for each member in the society on the 31st December of the year
next preceding.
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