CASS Approves 2025 Accounts: €34.7M General Deficit, €29.4M Retirement Surplus

The CASS board of directors approved the 2025 financial accounts on Monday, showing a €34.7 million deficit in the general branch and a €29.4 million surplus in the retirement branch.

In the general branch, revenues rose 7.5% to €201.7 million, including €180.5 million from salaried workers and self-employed contributors, plus €21.2 million from economic benefits. Expenses climbed 7.7% to €236.4 million, with €151.9 million for healthcare (up 6.6%) and €84.5 million for sickness, disability, and orphan benefits (up 9.6%).

The retirement branch recorded €220.6 million in revenues, an 8.1% increase, from €207.7 million in contributions, €6 million from economic benefits, and €6.9 million in government transfers for non-contributory pensions. Expenses totalled €191.2 million, up 10.9%, including €184.3 million for contributory pensions (up 11.4%) and €6.9 million for non-contributory ones (down 1.9%). The surplus beat initial forecasts of €17 million.

Affiliate numbers expanded across key groups by December: 51,539 salaried workers (up 3.4% yearly, or 2.2% from December 2024), 9,321 self-employed (up 6.8%), and 18,588 indirect insured (up 1%). General branch pensioners dropped 6% to 2,461, mainly 2,149 disability cases, 311 orphan pensions, and one reversion. Retirement pensioners grew 4.7% to 18,522, comprising 16,829 standard retirees, 3,626 widowhood cases (71 temporary), and 14 retirement capitals. The dependency ratio fell to 3.14 active insured per retirement pensioner, down 2% from 2024.

The accounts come ahead of board elections to replace members whose terms end June 17. Jacint Risco (retirees), Jacqueline Caubet (wage earners, citing personal reasons), and Francesc Zamora (employers) will not seek re-election after two terms, while Montserrat Martínez (wage earners) plans to run again. She emphasised advancing a universal third-party payer system, a pledge from Head of Government Xavier Espot in a 2023 letter tied to a General Council deal. With the legislative term nearing its end, Martínez noted no progress had occurred and stressed its urgency amid economic strains, as some affiliates skip tests due to upfront costs.

Over four years, the board introduced coverage for indirect insured up to age 25, widowhood benefits without recent contributions, 100% reimbursements for certain conditions, and upgrades in ophthalmology and hearing aids. Death expenses now cover all ages for active or pensioned contributors, though low awareness prompts some to overpay private options, Caubet said. She described the disability pension scandal as the mandate's toughest moment, exposing control weaknesses but prompting swift fixes: when oversight gaps emerged on payments, action followed immediately.

Pending goals include complete digitisation to end paper forms, better chronic disease care, stronger insured communication, and overseas student healthcare. Barcelona providers are online, with a Madrid rollout via Asisa in final legal review.