The new ePotential system will change the rules of social insurance in Ukraine

The new social insurance system called “Potential” provides for a multidisciplinary assessment of disability status, the extension of paid treatment for up to a year, support during outpatient rehabilitation with preservation of sick leave and earnings, as well as a new algorithm for support from rehabilitation to employment. This was announced by the Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych during a telethon, UNN reports .

The current system is all about statuses, certificates, and meager payments, and it pays very little attention to providing people with comprehensive support so that they can regain their functioning and health. The first step is that the disability status and the conclusion about the limitation of functioning will be made by a multidisciplinary team of doctors who will be in the hospital where the person is being treated. In general, this is a digital tool that will make it impossible to falsify or risk falsification

According to her, the Ministry of Social Affairs will now extend paid treatment for up to a year or more if doctors say in their report that a person has the ability to resume their functioning and has made rehabilitation progress.

Zholnovych added that they will also pay for outpatient rehabilitation.

“We have provided that if a person can partially go to work during outpatient rehabilitation, we will keep both hospital payments and earnings. We also provide a large number of social services already at the stage of treatment and rehabilitation,” the minister added.

She said that nothing will change for people who already have a disability status, but if they wish, they can be reassessed to increase spending.

As for other important changes in the system:

•  Introducing a simple step-by-step algorithm for accompanying a person from rehabilitation to employment and recovery;

•  Rehabilitation will include assistance in restoring physical and mental health, as well as professional skills;

•  Paid rehabilitation will be longer, it can last up to a year;

•  The insurance benefit during rehabilitation (rehabilitation sick leave type B) is increased and will amount to 70% to 100% of the average wage;

•  If a person has a long and complicated process of recovery from an injury or illness, the job will be kept for more than 4 months (currently, an employer has the right to dismiss a person if he or she is ill for more than 4 months)

•  There is a possibility to work part-time if the rehabilitation is outpatient, while maintaining hospital rehabilitation payments;

•  The statuses of disability and ability to work are distinguished.

Recall

In September, the Ministry of Social Policy announced the ePotential programaimed at digitalizing the process of rehabilitation and social support.