After suspension, Minister of Social Security says that the Meu INSS Vale+ program will be revoked

The government must definitively revoke the “Meu INSS Vale+” program, which provided for the anticipation of retirements and benefits. The announcement was made by the Minister of Social Security, Wolney Queiroz, during a public hearing held in the Senate this Thursday (15). “This Vale+ has practically been extinguished. It will be revoked, at least that is the government's understanding”, Queiroz told the senators.

The minister was invited to the Senate to provide clarifications on the scandal at the National Social Security Institute (INSS), uncovered by the Federal Police's Operation No Discount, which revealed billion-dollar frauds against retirees and pensioners through undue discounts.

Created to allow advances of part of the monthly benefit, the “Meu INSS Vale+” program was suspended a week ago by decision of the new president of the INSS, Gilberto Waller Júnior. According to Waller Júnior's order, the decision was based on “ample documentation, especially complaints from insured individuals, that the program rules were not followed by the company PicPay Bank - Banco Múltiplo SA, which could cause irreparable damage to INSS beneficiaries” ( see in full ).

During the hearing, the minister was also asked about the accreditation process for the financial institutions responsible for the operation. According to the minister, the selection process was open to all companies with a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) in force with the INSS. “The first institution to operate the service was PicPay, but the program was interrupted before other companies could be accredited.”

The episode also brought to light the corporate relationship between PicPay and the JBS group, which surprised the minister responsible for the area. “I didn’t even know it was from JBS, nor did I know that an auction had not been held. For me, the INSS had created an internal rule that followed legal criteria,” said the minister when questioned.

Suspension occurred after complaint of undue charges

The suspension of the “Meu INSS Vale+” program occurred after reports that undue charges had been made. The main complaint came from the Brazilian Federation of Banks (Febraban) which, in a meeting of the INSS Council held at the end of April, pointed out the charging of an advance fee that was considered illegal.

In a letter sent to the then Minister of Social Security, Carlos Lupi, the entity reinforced that the charge would violate current regulations. “IN No. 175 is clear in prohibiting the charging of fees or interest on salary advances, with which we agree,” the note pointed out.

When asked about the charges, the Minister of Social Security pointed out that the original proposal for the program provided that INSS beneficiaries could advance up to R$150 of the amount to be received at the end of the month to cover “emergency expenses, such as the purchase of medicines”. In addition, the advance payment should not generate charges for interest, annual fees or monthly fees. However, for Minister Wolney Queiroz, the idea ended up being “distorted”, distorting the initial objective.