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Rights of Parkinson's patients in Israel: the guide that will sort you out

Disability allowance and tax exemption under certain conditions are only some of the benefits to which Parkinson's patients are entitled. You will find information about this in this review and also in the comprehensive professional guide compiled by attorney Rafael Almog.  

Parkinson's disease is a severe chronic disease that usually affects people 40 years old and later, and its prevalence increases with age. Those affected by the disease suffer from gradual degeneration of the nervous system, and as a result, their ability to move and their physical, mental and mental functioning deteriorate over time. Unfortunately, at some point, Parkinson's patients may lose their ability to function independently.

In view of the many difficulties faced by Parkinson's patients and their relatives, these patients are entitled to a number of benefits from the state. Also, they may be entitled to insurance benefits, including long-term care insurance from private insurance companies.

Through the current overview, you will be able to make a preliminary acquaintance with the main rights of Parkinson's patients in Israel. For more detailed information it is recommended to download the The professional rights guide for Parkinson's patients Organized by lawyer Rafael Almog, voluntarily, with the aim of helping Parkinson's patients and their families.

General disability allowance

The National Insurance Institute provides General disability allowance monthly for those who have lost their earning capacity as a result of a physical or mental impairment. As of 2016, the basic monthly amount of the allowance ranges from 1,405 NIS to 2,342 NIS and its amount depends on the degree of incapacity determined for the applicant for the allowance. Sometimes, those who have been determined to have a full degree of incapacity may be entitled to an addition to this amount.

Parkinson's patients are also entitled to a general disability allowance, as long as they meet a number of cumulative general conditions.

First, the pension applicant will have to prove to the National Insurance that he suffers from a medical disability of at least 60 percent, or alternatively that he has been determined to have a medical disability of at least 40 percent, but for one or more of his medical deficiencies a disability of 25 percent or higher has been determined. Later, the patient will be required to prove that he has lost 50 percent or more of his earning capacity. In addition to that, it is important to know that eligibility for an allowance depends on the level of income.

In order to receive the disability pension, a claim must be submitted to the National Insurance and later be examined by a medical committee on behalf of the institution. Establishing eligibility for a pension is not a simple procedure, and unfortunately, there are Parkinson's patients who find it difficult to qualify for a pension, despite their difficult condition.

In our complete rights guide you will find extensive information on all the steps of the procedure you will have to go through in order to receive a disability allowance and on the action options available to you.

Mobility allowance

A mobility allowance is granted to those whose mobility is impaired and originates from a mobility agreement signed many years ago between the Ministry of Finance and National Insurance. Parkinson's patients who have suffered significant damage to their lower limbs will be entitled to this benefit.

The mobility allowance does not replace the general disability allowance and eligibility for this allowance does not depend on eligibility for a disability allowance (unlike the special services allowance, which may affect the mobility allowance).

The benefit is reflected in a diverse series of benefits, such as a monthly allowance for the purpose of owning a disabled vehicle, a disabled parking tag, financial assistance for the purchase of a car and financial assistance for driving lessons. The amount of the benefit and the type of benefits to which the benefit applicant will be entitled depend on a number of variables, such as the severity of the patient's mobility limitation, the degree to which he needed a car, and more. Under certain conditions, even those without a car are entitled to an allowance.

In order to receive the mobility benefit, the benefit applicant is required to prove to the National Insurance that he meets the eligibility conditions for the benefit. For this, he should, among other things, be examined by a medical committee of the Ministry of Health. You can find details about the overall procedure in our rights guide.

Special services allowance

In some cases, Parkinson's patients will be entitled to a special services benefit for the disabled from the National Insurance, designed to help patients finance external treatment services. This benefit is relevant to patients who have reached a nursing condition and need daily help for basic functioning or constant supervision to prevent danger to themselves and others.

The benefit is expressed in a monthly allowance, the amount of which depends on the severity of the patient's condition. Patients who are completely dependent on another person around the clock may receive an allowance of over NIS 4,000 per month.

Parkinson's patients may receive a special services benefit in addition to a mobility benefit, but only in the case where the patient has been determined to have a mobility disability of 100 percent, or it is found that he needs a wheelchair or is confined to a bed. In other cases, it will not be possible to receive both benefits at the same time.

To determine whether the patient is entitled to benefits and what the amount will be, the National Insurance Institute examines the patient's degree of dependence on others in order to perform a number of daily activities, including: bathing, eating, dressing and maintaining personal hygiene. It was also checked how much the patient needed help with household care.

However, the National Insurance dependency test is not the only test that must be met. Entitlement to benefits depends, among other things, on the rate of medical disability determined for the patient, on other allowances he receives and on his monthly income. In our rights guide you can read about the full conditions for receiving the benefit.

Exemption from income tax

In some cases, a Parkinson's patient may win exempt from income tax payments.

In order to qualify for an exemption, the patient is required to show that he suffers from a weighted disability of at least 90%, due to a multitude of diseases, or at a rate of 100% due to only one disease. It is also required to show that the disability is for a period of at least 184 days (six months).

It is important to know, however, that the medical disability test used by the tax authorities for the purpose of granting the tax benefit is not the same as the medical disability test used by the National Insurance in the general disability branch.

What is the difference between the tests and what should be done to obtain an exemption from income tax and additional tax benefits? You can read about this in our rights guide.

Nursing insurance benefits

Parkinson's patients who purchased long-term care insurance from a private insurance company, whether independently or through the workplace or some other organization (group long-term care insurance), may be entitled to long-term care insurance benefits.

The rate of rewards and the eligibility period vary from policy to policy, but generally, the eligibility conditions in the various policies available in the market are similar. The main test for eligibility is the ADL test (or the "activities of daily living" test), which refers to the level of independent functioning of the insured.

conditions of eligibility for payment, According to the terms of the insurance supervision, include two alternative routes.

In the first track, an insured will be defined as nursing, if the insured has lost at least 50 percent of his independent functioning capacity in three or more of the six daily activities, which include: 1. Bathing 2. Eating and drinking 3. Getting up and lying down 4. Dressing and undressing 5. Mobility 6. Control of braces .

Another route concerns the "mentally exhausted", that is, those whose cognitive function is impaired as a result of diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and therefore need a significant degree of accompaniment and supervision. Such patients will also be considered nursing for the purpose of receiving the insurance benefits.

Both routes together may be relevant to Parkinson's patients, but insurance companies do not always respond easily to long-term care insurance claims.

Our rights guide also deals in detail with the issue of private long-term care insurance and provides important information for Parkinson's patients who wish to exercise their long-term care insurance policy.

Professional advice and support

Bottom line, Parkinson's patients have a variety of options for receiving assistance, and the assistance may be expressed in substantial amounts of money every month.

Our guide is designed to help you get a complete picture of the rights granted to you.