New disability determination system launched in Ukraine on Jan 1

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has released materials for both patients and doctors regarding the new system of assessing daily functioning, as reported by Ukrinform.

According to the Ministry of Health, the system for determination and establishing disability has been significantly simplified. The comprehensive evaluation will determine the individual needs of a person in order to help reintegrate them into active life with corresponding compensations, payments, benefits, and assistive devices.

The evaluation will be carried out by expert teams consisting of practicing doctors at cluster and super-cluster hospitals. The heads of former МSЕCs will not be allowed to be part of the expert commissions.

Based on the extract from the expert team’s decision, individuals with disabilities will be able to receive (or continue receiving) benefits, pensions, assistance, compensations, and allowances. The extract from the decision can also be used for purposes outlined in the Laws "On Military Duty and Military Service" and "On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization."

According to the Ministry of Health, 1450 expert teams have already been created in 290 medical institutions.

The list of medical institutions and expert teams for assessing daily functioning is available on the Ministry of Health's website dashboard.

The evaluation process will be recorded in an electronic system, and all documents and actions will be digitized. The system will also select the appropriate teams for a case based on the diagnosis and team profile. Additionally, the data of patients and doctors will be hidden from each other until the day of the session, which will help minimize corruption risks.

For certain objective conditions, there is no need to wait for 120 days of medical leave; referrals for additional examinations are limited to one time, except for cases with valid reasons.

The referring doctor will create the referral for the daily functioning assessment.

They assess the patient's health, conduct necessary examinations, input the patient's data into the electronic system, help select a medical institution for expert team evaluation, and issue the electronic referral.

Patients will need the following: passport, social security number (if available), military registration document (if available); medical documents confirming the diagnosis and current health status, including documents regarding previously established disability; documents confirming the reasons for disability (if available); and any other necessary documents.

The form of the evaluation can be in-person, remote, or home-based by the team, depending on the patient's needs and condition, with certain criteria taken into account.

In the medical institution, the administrator will check the documents, after which the system will automatically assign a date and time for the evaluation, and the patient will receive a notification.

Members of the expert team will review the patient’s case. If disability is confirmed, the person will receive a decision and recommendations, which will be part of their individual rehabilitation program. If necessary, the expert team may send the person for additional medical examination. Such an option is allowed only once to prevent delays in decision-making.

The expert team's review should not take longer than 30 days.

Patients have the right to independently record audio or video of the evaluation process if the case is being reviewed in any form other than a remote one. Additionally, the patient may appoint an authorized representative to participate in the evaluation. To do so, they must submit a corresponding application through the electronic system or in paper form to the doctor who issues the referral for the evaluation.

If the person disagrees with the findings, they can appeal the decision through their treating doctor or file a complaint directly with the Functional State Evaluation Center.

Complaints will be reviewed by the expert teams of the Evaluation Center. The complaint must be resolved no later than 30 calendar days from the date of receipt.

Additionally, from January 1, 2025, documents for individuals with a lifelong disability status will remain valid. For other people with disabilities whose re-evaluation falls within the implementation of the new system, the re-evaluation term is extended by 6 six months. All documents, payments, benefits, social services, and deferments will remain in place.

The implementation of the medical part of the reform will continue and improve throughout 2025.

For consultations, citizens can contact the Ministry of Health’s helpline at 0800505201.

As reported by Ukrinform, the Cabinet of Ministers has amended 104 government resolutions concerning the use of documents resulting from the evaluation of an individual’s daily functioning in various processes and sectors.