WILLEMSTAD – Retired individuals in Curaçao with limited income will temporarily be exempt from paying premiums for the Basic Health Insurance (BVZ). The Minister of Finance has instructed the Tax Collector’s Office not to pursue active collection from this group while a formal amendment to the law is being prepared. 

The measure aims to correct unintended consequences of the current regulations. Under Curaçao’s health insurance law, which came into effect on February 1, 2013, all residents who are not covered under other public or private insurance plans are legally required to contribute to the BVZ scheme. 

Currently, individuals with an annual income of up to ANG 12,000 are exempt from paying BVZ premiums. However, in practice, some pensioners are disqualified from the exemption due to small supplementary allowances—such as the ANG 169 monthly stipend provided by the Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW)—which push their income just above the threshold. 

Because the existing law does not allow for exceptions, these individuals are required to pay premiums on their entire income, which was never the intent when the supplements were introduced. 

To resolve the issue, the government plans to raise the exemption threshold from ANG 12,000 to ANG 20,500 per year. This adjustment specifically targets pensioners whose income falls below the poverty line, as defined by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). 

Until the legislative change is officially enacted, affected retirees will receive a deferral of payment.