An internal audit carried out by the National Agency for Disability of the Nation revealed that of a universe of three thousand cases analyzed, taken at random, 80% were beneficiaries of a pension for work disability that was granted without meeting the requirements set out by Anses.
This was reported by the Chief of Staff, Guillermo Francos, in a publication in which he shared the data of the internal work carried out by the state area dedicated to disability policies. The official released the data on the evolution of registrations of that pension in the last 20 years, from 2003 to 2023, in the 24 jurisdictions.
From this internal work it is clear that the increase at the national level is 1,427%. The suspicion of the administration of President Javier Milei is that during the Peronist administration these pensions were used by the national State as if it were a social plan and granted with political and clientelist criteria far removed from the purpose for which they were created.
In that sense, Francos regretted the level of irregularities in the granting of pensions and stated: “Projected to the total pensions, this implies an expenditure of US$ 2.4 billion annually without foundation.” And he expanded: “This is how irresponsible was the government of those who this morning – due to the Tuesday session in which a new retirement formula was voted – resolved increases in retirement benefits at a cost of half a point of the GDP without the State having the necessary resources. to face it.”
On the Anses website, the benefit is promoted under the slogan “to accompany people with disabilities who are in a situation of social vulnerability.”
The situation in Córdoba
In Córdoba, the evolution of the granting of disability pensions was within the national average. The increase was 1,646% in 20 years. In 2003, there were 4,902 beneficiaries, while last year there were 85,599.
As happens at the national level, the acceleration in the granting of these pensions in Córdoba coincides with the arrival to power of Néstor Kirchner. The rise did not stop during the governments of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The pause came in 2015, when the administration led by former President Mauricio Macri slowed progress and even removed benefits. But since 2019 and with the return of Peronism to power, the numbers have gained momentum again.
When Néstor Kirchner arrived at the Casa Rosada there were 79,581 throughout the country and the number reached 225,411 at the end of his term in 2007. It almost multiplied by three times. In 2011, when Cristina Kirchner finished her first term, active pensions amounted to 707,068: these non-contributory disability benefits also tripled.
Another 300,000 joined until 2015, during the former president’s second term. The number left by the three Kirchnerist administrations was 1,045,954. Macri, on the other hand, who was widely criticized for slowing progress, reduced pensions of this type to 1,026,093. That value was taken by Alberto Fernández, who raised it again to 1,215,548 at the end of 2023.
The non-contributory disability pension is an allowance paid monthly by Anses. Its amount is equivalent to 70% of a minimum retirement. That is, $144,851.77. The Government estimates that adding the $70,000 bonus, the benefit will exceed $200,000.
As detailed on the Anses website, to access the benefit you must be a native Argentine, or naturalized, or resident in the country. Foreigners must prove a minimum continuous residence in the country of 10 years. Another requirement is to be under 65 years of age.
The non-contributory disability pension is compatible with work, whether in a dependent relationship, autonomously or as a monotributist of the general regime or social monotributist. What is not possible is to have this benefit if at the same time you receive a retirement or pension.
President Milei’s administration considers that there are at least two measures that were adopted in the Alberto Fernández government that disrupted the initial objective of the Anses program. On the one hand, it points to the flexibility for access to the benefit that made possible, for example, Resolution 70/2023. This rule eliminated the obligation to indicate “total and permanent disability” in the medical certificate.
In addition, there is another decree, 7/2023, which for the current ruling party removed the condition of work disability that defined that “the disability is total when the disability produces a decrease in work capacity of 76% or more.”
Among the review plans faced by the current administration, modifying the conditions to raise the requirements for access to this type of benefits is analyzed.
Surprising numbers
The data that Francos presented with the national map of the evolution of disability pensions show situations that draw attention. The province that increased the most this type of aid paid by the national State was Corrientes. There, in 20 years, there was a jump of 3,285%, when the national average is 1,427%, more than double.
Another province where pensions grew above the rest is Chaco: 2,036%. In two decades it added some 95 thousand beneficiaries. Santiago del Estero has similar numbers.
It is also striking that Córdoba, a province that is usually compared to Santa Fe for having a similar demographic composition, currently has almost 86 thousand disability pensioners compared to 48,965 that its neighbors have.
