The Medical Benefits regulations, 2011, Regulation 2, sub regulation 2 explains that “A self-employed person is a person who works for himself in a trade, business, profession or activity that he operates to provide services or products to customers and includes directors of corporations. The Medical Benefits Act, 2010, section 40, sub-section 3 explains that a self-employed person is a wage earner and an employer of himself.”
- All self-employed persons must register with the MBS. This registration is separate from your MBS membership registration.
- Make monthly contribution payments on earnings totaling 5%, or 2.5% if over 60 years but not yet 70 years old.
- Use your MBS smartcard to make monthly contribution payments. Self-employed payments are not made are not made using R3A’s, (remittance forms).
- Keep payment documentation for employees of the business separate from self-employed persons who are owners or directors of the business. The names of registered self-employed persons should not appear on R3A’s (remittance forms).
- Keep records of your expenditure and revenue. This will help you to effectively track your earnings.
- Make annual renewal of declaration of income. This is a statutory requirement and failure to do so will result in an assessment by the MBS. Annual declaration of income of your monthly contribution should be done during the preceding year October to December at our Registration Department, Nevis Street.
- Communicate to the CEO in writing when you cease to be self-employed. This should be done within 10 working days. Failure to notify the MBS within the stipulated period will result in the payment of all outstanding contributions becoming due to the MBS up to the date of notification.
- Provide the relevant documentation to support certified sick leave and maternity leave. The documents will validate non payment of contributions for the specified period.
