First step - The claims officer at the local NII branch examines the claim
The claims officer checks the following:
- Whether you filled out the claim form in its entirety, or there is information missing;
- Whether you attached all the required documents;
- Whether you meet the conditions of entitlement to the disability pension.
Important: attachment of all the required documents to the claims form will shorten the process of the handling of the claim.
Second step - A National Insurance Institute's doctor examines the claim
The NII's doctor checks the following:
- Your declaration regarding your medical condition;
- The medical documents that you attached to your claim form; you may be required to bring additional documents. In cases of mental disability, the NII contacts the relevant parties in order to obtain medical material;
- Whether to summon you to a medical board, and if so, which doctor and medical advisors to summon to that board;
- Whether you are dependent on the help of others to carry out daily activities; if so, you will be summoned to a special medical board that checks your entitlement to attendance allowance.
After the NII has gathered all the required documents, you will receive a summons to appear before a medical board (it is possible that you will not have to appear in person).
Please note, the medical board is composed of one doctor who specializes in a certain area. Therefore, if you have additional impairments, you may be summoned to a number of boards.
Third step - Appearing before a medical board
In the medical board, the doctor:
- Examines the medical documents in your file before your arrival;
- Hears from you about the impairments from which you suffer, and if needed, performs a physical examination;
- Determines the degree of your medical disability;
- Examines to what extent your medical impairments influence your capability of going out to work and earning a living (for a housewife: to what extent they influence her capability of working in her household).
Please note,the members of the medical board may stop the discussion on your claim and request additional medical examinations or documents in accordance with need. The board doctor is not authorized to decide on the medical treatment that you require, but rather to determine your degree of medical disability only.
Fourth step - Receiving the decision on the claim
The claim returns to the claims officer in the Disability Department, who then:
- Examines your income information again, in relation to the degree of disability that was determined for you;
- Determines to what extent your medical disability influences you capability of going out to work and earning a living (for a housewife: to what extent it influences her capability of working in her household), based on the recommendation of the doctor and of the rehabilitation clerk.
- After all the examinations, the decision on your claim will be sent to you by mail, together with the report of the medical board.
After receiving a ruling on your claim, if you think the decision is not fair, you can appeal it.