Why does the National Insurance Institute not suffice with the information provided by a doctor in order to grant long-term care benefits, but rather sends an assessor for a visit to perform a functioning capacity examination?
Under the law, long-term care benefits are provided to persons who depend on others to perform most daily activities: mobility in the home, dressing, washing, eating and controlling secretions; or who need to be supervised in order to prevent danger to themselves or others.
Doctors provide medical information including diagnoses and medications, but do not perform a functioning capacity examination, which the National Insurance Institute does.
By law, only persons 90 years or older may choose to be have their functioning capacity examined by a gerontologist working for a public institute, and do not have to be examined by an assessor for the National Insurance Institute.
Can the assessor arrive without giving notice?
Usually the assessor coordinates the visit with the claimant. However, in some cases, due to special circumstances, the assessor will be asked to perform the visit without giving notice.
Is it possible to request an assessor who speaks the same language as the person examined?
It is important that the person examined will understand the assessor and the course of the visit and will be able to answer questions. Therefore, the National Insurance Institute tries to send an assessor who speaks the same language as the examined person, or ask for the presence of a family member who can act as a translator.
Is it possible to ask the assessor to identify themselves?
The assessor comes to the claimant's house with a badge stating their first name and the initial of their last name, as well as the assessor's code as recorded at the National Insurance Institute.
Is the presence of family member allowed during the examination?
Yes, and usually it is very welcome.
Is there any special treatment for a person suffering from memory and orientation problems?
Yes, indeed. In the assessor's questionaire there is a special section dedicated to that matter. In those circumstances, the presence of a family member able to provide complementary information about the examined person is required and, without his presence, the examination must be postponed.
May a family member add information during examination?
Yes. The assessor will ask, at first, the examinee to answer the question and he is done, the family member may complete the information and also ask the assessor to listen to him or her, in private.
Is it possible to postpone a visit after scheduling a day and time with the assessor, and how to inform him?
It is possible to contact the NII's call center for counseling to the elderly and request the postponement of the visit, at those numbers:
Arabic 02-6463400, Hebrew 02-6463401, Russian 02-6463402, Amharic 026463403, English 02-6463404, or to the national call center *6050 or 1222-6050.
Does one have to get out of bed for functioning examination?
Visits are performed, seated, in the living room or next to a table, unless there is a medical reason preventing the elderly to get out of his bed.
Is getting undressed and dressed required?
No. There is no need to get undressed.
Will I be asked to demonstrate intimate activities of daily living (such as bathing or sitting on a toilet bowl)?
Absolutely not.
Will I be asked to demonstrate other activities?
Only when the assessor is not able to reach an opinion on your functioning during the visit, or when your own description of your dependence and difficulty or independence and the description made by those present during the visit do not seem coherent with your medical situation. In such cases, you will be asked to demonstrate at least one of the following activities: wahing hands, putting on a cloth above another cloth, reheating food or serving it on the table.
What will happen if do not consent to perform a demonstration or answer questions?
You have the right to end the visit at any time. In that case, though, your assessor might not be able to gather all required information and therefore, so that the NII could settle on your claim, you would have to pass another examination.
Insofar as an assessor do not come for more than an hour, how could he know what is happening with me in general?
The assessor's opinion will be based on studying medical information, on information given to him by you or a relative with respect to your daily living functioning and on his impression during the visit.
How may I ask questions or complain about the visit?
You can send a letter to the NII branch in charge of your claim, or call our national call center at *6050 or 12226050, or the NII's call center for counseling to the elderly at those numbers:
Arabic 02-6463400,
Hebrew 02-6463401, Russian 02-6463402, Amharic 026463403, English
02-6463404, or to the national call center *6050 or 1222-6050.
How may I inquire regarding the employment of a foreing worker?
You can approach the Immigration Authority through the nation call center of the dedicated division at 1700-707-147 (human response on Sunday and Tuesday between 8:30 to 12:30).