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Diabetic? This is what you have to do to get a disability rating

The article was written in collaboration with Zhuti

Recently, the Ministry of Health released new data on the distribution of diabetics in Israel according to geographic, religious and socioeconomic differences. The data clearly shows that diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Israel, with the morbidity rate in Israel being much higher than the European average.

It is no secret that the social policy of the State of Israel makes social security extremely difficult. The population receiving social assistance in Israel is growing rapidly, while the population receiving social assistance is shrinking (at least in percentage terms). In addition, over the years, more and more Israelis have become aware of their medical rights and have begun to demand them even more strongly from state institutions. This cocktail of factors has led to a significant depletion of social security resources.

The Mossad has no choice but to harden its position and act less and less “according to the law.” And this situation requires diabetics who need a disability percentage (and not only them) to work harder than ever to get what they are entitled to from the state.

Wait a minute with the strategies

But before we talk about new strategies, let us shed some light on the standard procedure for determining disability percentages, as it is difficult for many Israelis to understand.

Even before you apply for Social Security disability benefits, it is important to know whether you meet the basic requirements and whether you actually have a reasonable chance of receiving them. You need to ask yourself: Does my diabetes reduce my ability to earn a living as I normally do? Does my diabetes prevent me from earning a living at all? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, you have reasonable grounds to be considered eligible for disability benefits. It is important to note that these minimum requirements also apply to people whose occupation is domestic work (male husbands and housewives).

Please note that applicants for disability percentages must generally be between 18 and pensionable age. Young people aged 16 to 18 can also apply for general disability allowance, but only if they were recognised by the State as “minor workers” at the time they lost their job. Those who apply after retirement may be entitled to an allowance if the Social Security Office concludes that the eligibility conditions were met for at least 90 days before retirement.

Better early

A diabetic who believes he is entitled to a disability percentage must send a form BL 7801 to the National Insurance Institute and attach several documents: a medical summary from the attending physician, summaries of hospitalizations, summaries of the treatments he has received due to his illness, and the like. After receiving the documents, the National Insurance Institute will decide whether the applicant's disability will be lifted solely on the basis of the documents he has submitted or whether he must appear before the institution's medical committee.

In fact, appearing before the medical committee is not an easy situation, as many of those who have to appear there feel like they are being examined “under the microscope”. However, in some cases there is no way out but to face this obstacle.

Unfortunately, this is not the only problem that applicants face at the Commission. Many applicants come to the Commission without important documents and without being prepared with all the arguments needed to convince the Committee members that they should indeed be recognised as disabled. It is crucial that you come to the Committee prepared – both in terms of documents and arguments. And it is at this point that many applications for disability percentages fail.

If the diabetic's claim is not approved or is not approved to his satisfaction (he received less than he believes he is entitled to), he can appeal up to 60 days after receiving the institution's decision. In some cases, Social Security will accept appeals received up to 90 days after the decision, but it is best to file the appeal as early as possible.

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The best solution at the moment?

Given that there are so many diabetics in Israel, it is no wonder that the medical rights of so many of them fall by the wayside. It is the state's job to take care of its citizens, but in too many cases the state's hand is not enough to help. Since no one wants to give up their medical rights due to external factors, it is not surprising that so many Israelis today turn to companies that deal with the exploitation of medical rights in order to get the percentage of disability they believe they deserve. And perhaps this is actually the best solution a citizen has right now.

The article was written in collaboration with Zhuti



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