coming soon is the Disability Card and The digital KEPA, ( What does the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs amendment provide for? )

What does the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs amendment provide for?

The following announcement was issued by the Press Office of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs:

The complete digitization - with simultaneous simplification - of the disability certification process, i.e. the creation of "digital KEPA", as well as the establishment of the framework for the Disability Card, is provided for, among other things, by an amendment of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs submitted to the bill of the Ministry of Digital of Governance "Emerging information and communication technologies, strengthening digital governance and other provisions".

The Departments of Labor and Digital Governance is promoting a major digital reform for people with disabilities, with the aim of improving their daily lives and drastically reducing the suffering they experience. With the arrangements contained in the amendment, the way is opened so that from the autumn, the entire process of disability certification through KEPAs will be done electronically. Insured persons will only need to visit KEPAs once, on the day of their examination, and not at earlier stages of the process (e.g. to apply in person for disability certification as was done until now), which "translates" into the elimination of thousands of visits to KEPA. In other words, all procedures - except the medical examination of the applicant by the health committee - will be done digitally, which constitutes a leap in the service of disabled people.

The main provisions of the amendment are the following:

1. A National Disability Portal is created, i.e. a single digital platform that functions as a one-stop service and brings together the basic functions of interest to people with disabilities:

a. certification by KEPA

b. register and disability card

c. register of benefits.

Through the National Portal, people with disabilities:

•     They have access to their personal data held in the Digital Register of PWDs.
•     They submit a request for a disability assessment and certification.
•     They submit a request for a Disability Card.
•     They are served for pensions, allowances, social and economic benefits, or social services, provided by the legislation for disabled people.
•     They are informed about the benefits available and the eligibility criteria for these benefits.

2. The process of certifying disability by KEPA is completely reformed, which will henceforth be done digitally with an application and will result in the issuance of a single medical opinion/certification.

More specifically, the new KEPA digital operating system:

•     It provides the possibility for the citizen to submit an electronic application for his evaluation by KEPA with only the necessary data for the certification of his disability.
•     It allows the physician to digitally create and finalize the Referral File.
•     It provides for the electronic handling of the Medical Referral File.
•     It provides immediate information to KEPA for the finalization of the application and the file in order to arrange an appointment for the evaluation.
•     It leads to the issuance of a Single Opinion and Notification of the Disability Certification, binding for all public services, with which the citizen will have access to all the benefits and facilities provided for in the legislation for the support of Persons with Disabilities and is entitled to on the basis of the individual provisions.

In conclusion, the assessment of disability in KEPA is simplified and digitized, so that citizens know their rights and receive the necessary certification quickly and efficiently. In addition, the obligation to pay a fee is abolished for all categories of applicants.

3. A new Special Body of Doctors (ESI) is created, in whose Registry the doctors who staff the health committees will be registered. The ESI will no longer consist only of EFKA and EOPPY doctors, but also of private doctors, who will have to successfully complete a relevant seminar. In this way, the need to enrich the Corps with new doctors and modern specialties is addressed.

4. The Digital Disability Register is established, in which disabled persons who are entitled to benefits are recorded. Through the Disability Card, which draws its data from the Registry, disabled people can certify their status in order to exercise their respective rights. The Disability Card that proves the identity of its holder and the status of the disabled person to any public authority and the third party will replace any document/certificate currently in use. This is another important digital reform that will be financed with the resources of the Recovery Fund and will make it easier for people with disabilities in their daily lives and in their dealings with public bodies.

5. Finally, in the Register of Benefits, people with disabilities have all the rights and benefits they are entitled to gather in an electronic site and they are to be informed of the special conditions for each one.

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