Andorran CASS Election Candidates Push Pension Reforms and Healthcare Transparency

Candidates are campaigning vigorously ahead of the June 17 elections to the Caixa Andorrana de Seguretat Social (CASS) board of administration, highlighting concerns over pension sustainability, healthcare spending control, and greater institutional transparency.

For the salaried workers' college, which elects two seats, candidates including Miquel Àngel Adrán with Rosa Alonso, Anna Carrión with Maria Teresa González, Montserrat Martínez with Natàlia Caelles, Salustià Chato, Neus Cervera, Ramon Pedrosa with Joan Parra, and Mercè Avellanet with Anna Boada have outlined priorities. They emphasise streamlining procedures, particularly medical leave processing and treatment authorisations. Several call for eliminating the referring doctor system, citing delays in primary care appointments and added pressure on physicians. Martínez described waits of up to a month for assigned doctors, while Chato linked the model to higher costs and service quality issues.

A common demand is expanding the third-party payer system to all affiliates, avoiding upfront payments for treatments. Martínez noted the CASS is ready to implement it broadly, with no evidence of cost spikes from current partial use. Chato called it a matter of social justice amid family financial strains. Candidates also seek to shift some healthcare expenses to state budgets, freeing contributions for pensions, and explore tobacco tax allocations for this purpose.

On pensions, salaried representatives reject a 50/50 split in contribution increases, favouring the current 75/25 employer-employee ratio. Carrión argued for sharing profits equally if burdens are equalised. Chato proposed raising total contributions from 22% to 30%, generating a 120 million euro surplus beyond the 50 million needed annually per actuarial studies, while reviewing service portfolios. Most oppose raising the retirement age from 65, advocating voluntariness, especially for physically demanding jobs. Private pension plans should be incentivised, not mandatory.

Pensioner candidates—Josep Garcia Nebot with Ramon Oliva, Ignasi Arbusà, Pere Canturri, Florenci Pla, and Lluís Samper with Rosa Alcobé—agree reforms are urgent amid an ageing population but differ on details. Nebot pushes progressive contribution hikes toward European levels with stronger state involvement, optimising the retirement reserve fund's yield, and reversing 15-year pension freezes affecting 1,300-1,500 retirees. He seeks adjustments for partial disability, widowhood, rare diseases, and duplicate health contributions penalising 1,800 pensioners. Others debate state funding shares, capping high pensions, or IRPF exemptions.

Entrepreneur and self-employed candidates, such as Alex Lligé Puig with Alexandre Ballestà and Daniel Armengol with Francesc Pallàs, stress protecting business viability in reforms. They advocate flexible contributions, reduced bureaucracy in sick leave management, and a dedicated self-employed seat on the board.

Across colleges, low turnout remains a concern, often below 3%, attributed to perceived distance from decisions despite government majorities. Candidates pledge regular affiliate meetings and accountability reports. Early voting by deposit began Monday at CASS offices on Joan Maragall Street in Andorra la Vella, with mobile stations visiting parishes daily. Altaveu is airing candidate video responses through June 15 on health, pensions, and general issues.