The digital KEPA and the Disability Card are coming

The complete digitization – with simultaneous simplification – of the disability certification process, i.e. the creation “digital KEPA”as well as the establishment of the framework for the Disability Card, provides, among other things, an amendment of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, which was submitted to the bill Ministry of Digital Governance “Emerging Information and Communication Technologies, Strengthening Digital Governance and Other Provisions”.

As stated in the relevant announcement, the Ministries of Labor and Digital Governance promote significant digital reform for people with disabilities, aiming to improve their daily lives and drastically reduce their suffering.

With the arrangements contained in the amendment, the way is opened so that, from the autumn, the entire disability certification process, through KEPA, will be done electronically. The insured will only need to visit them once HAPPY on the day of their examination and not at earlier stages of the process (eg to apply in person for disability certification, as was done until now), which “translates” into the elimination of thousands of visits to KEPAs. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, 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.

As pointed out in the announcement, the main provisions of the amendment are the following:

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

a. certification by KEPA,

b. disability register and card,

c. register of benefits.

Through the National Portal, people with disabilities:

– have access to their personal data held in the Digital Register of Disabled Persons,

– submit a request for disability assessment and certification,

– submit a request for a Disability Card,

– are served for pension, allowance, social and financial benefits or social services, provided for by the legislation for persons with disabilities,

– they are informed about the available benefits and the eligibility criteria for these benefits.

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

Specifically, the new digital operating system of KEPA:

– provides the possibility for the citizen to submit an electronic application for his evaluation by the KEPA with only the necessary data for the certification of his disability,

– allows the physician to digitally create and finalize the referral file,

– provides for the electronic handling of the medical referral file,

– provides immediate information to KEPA for the finalization of the application and the file, in order to arrange an appointment for the evaluation,

– 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 on the basis of individual provisions.

In conclusion, as noted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, 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.

• A new Special Body of Doctors (ESI) is being 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.
• The Digital Disability Register is established, in which disabled people who are entitled to benefits are registered. 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, which proves the identity of its holder and the status of a person with a disability to any public authority and 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 facilitate disabled people in their daily lives and in their dealings with public bodies” clarifies the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
• Finally, in the Register of Benefits, people with disabilities have all the rights and benefits they are entitled to gathered in one electronic site and they can be informed about the special conditions for each one.

View the news feed and get the latest news.