The ePotential system will provide support to Ukrainians with serious illnesses: Ministry of Social Policy

The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine has announced the launch of a new social insurance system called ePotential, which aims to provide effective support for Ukrainians who have suffered from injuries or serious illnesses. The draft law, which has already been prepared by the Ministry of Social Policy, envisages large-scale changes in the way disability is determined and assistance is organised, including the replacement of medical and social expert commissions (MSECs) with multidisciplinary teams.

The innovation will be that these teams will use digital tools to assess the ability to work and determine the individual needs of each person. This will make it possible to more accurately determine the level of assistance needed and assess the possibility of returning to work.

The main changes in the draft law include:

• Increased insurance payments for those undergoing rehabilitation, as well as access to free medicines, rehabilitation equipment, and social services for those who are able to provide for themselves after treatment.
• Step-by-step support from the beginning of rehabilitation to employment with an expanded programme that will include not only physical recovery, but also mental health support and professional skills development.
• Extension of the paid rehabilitation period to one year with 100% of the average salary during treatment.
• Job security for those who have been in rehabilitation for more than four months.
• A part-time employment option for those undergoing outpatient rehabilitation, with the preservation of hospital benefits.

In addition, the system will include electronic case management, which will combine social and medical data of each patient and ensure transparency of support. It is worth noting that the reform does not cancel existing social benefits or guarantees – the disability status will remain unchanged, and the assessment of work capacity will be conducted anonymously and remotely after rehabilitation.