The Ministry of Health of Ukraine reminds the public that during martial law, the procedure for establishing and extending a disability has been significantly simplified.
According to current legislation, a medical and social assessment to establish a disability group is carried out on referral from a healthcare facility after diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation measures, if there is evidence confirming a persistent impairment of body functions caused by diseases, consequences of injuries or congenital defects that limits daily activities.
In this case, the attending doctor, including a family doctor whom the patient has contacted for medical care, issues a referral to the medical and social expert commission (MSEK; form 088/o) when needed.
We emphasize that a doctor who issues an MSEK referral cannot require an internally displaced patient to sign a declaration with a family doctor. Doctors also have no right to require patients to come in person for a re-examination during martial law to confirm a persistent impairment of body functions caused by diseases, consequences of injuries or congenital defects that limits a person’s daily activities.
To simplify medical and social assessment, the Government of Ukraine adopted Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 225, which provides for establishing a disability in absentia for people who apply for it during martial law, regardless of their place of registration, residence or stay.
Medical and social assessment on referral from a medical advisory commission is carried out regardless of the place of registration, residence or stay of the person applying to establish a disability.
In addition, during martial law, people with disabilities do not need to undergo a re-examination to confirm their disability in order to receive social payments because, under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 390, the validity of a disability and of the individual rehabilitation program (IRP) has been extended for the period of martial law.
A re-examination deadline that falls during martial law in Ukraine is postponed to no later than six months after martial law ends or is lifted.