CCSS – Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social

The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), colloquially known as “the Caja,” is the autonomous institution responsible for managing the mandatory social security system in Costa Rica. It was created in 1943 through its Constitutive Law (see separate record) and is responsible for both public health and the country’s pension system.

Two major service areas:

• Health insurance (SEM): funds and operates the public network of hospitals, clinics and EBAIS (Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral en Salud), the primary‑care entry point based on each person’s address (see the EBAIS and coverage record).
• Pension insurance (IVM – Invalidez, Vejez y Muerte): administers retirement, disability and survivor pensions for contributing individuals (see the IVM pension record).

How it is financed: through worker‑employer‑state contributions, a tripartite payment in which the employee, the employer and the State each contribute based on the reported salary. Employers must register their workers (see the CCSS employer registration record), and those without an employer can join as independent workers or as voluntary insured persons (see the corresponding records).

Other frequent procedures and certifications of the CCSS, each with its own record: the employer’s order (certificate of being up‑to‑date with contributions), medical disability, and the query of an individual’s insurance status.

Digital channels:

• SICERE (Sistema Centralizado de Recaudación): platform where employers submit the monthly payroll and insured persons check their status, accessible from the CCSS Virtual Office.
• CCSSmovil: official mobile application; allows you to generate the digital employer’s order, view the IVM pension projection, review disabilities and pay outstanding bills.
• EDUS (Expediente Digital Único en Salud) and its app: digital health record that lets you consult medical appointments, prescribed medications and allergies, and request or cancel appointments, when the corresponding health area has already implemented EDUS.

Contact: central line 2539‑0000. Main offices on Avenida 2, between streets 5 and 7, diagonal to the Teatro Nacional, San José. General office hours are Monday to Friday, but they vary by building or branch — confirm the exact schedule at ccss.sa.cr. The CCSS also has around 80 branches and numerous health centers distributed throughout the country.

Note: for step‑by‑step guides on specific procedures (employer registration, independent worker, employer’s order, IVM pension, EBAIS), see the dedicated records — this record is only the general profile of the institution.