Rights Guide for Chemotherapy Patients (Right)

Introduction:

Chemotherapy requires patients to come for treatments in the hospital several times per week over an extended period of time. This can cause many problems including absence from work, travel costs, parking fees, etc., without even taking into account the many side effects of the treatment. There are many rights and benefits aimed at trying to make life easier for the patients throughout this process.

Rights due to Medical Disability

• During the course of chemotherapy treatment, medical disability is usually determined to be 100%.
• This medical disability entitles one to various rights which are not dependent on eligibility for general disability (such as Income Tax Exemption).

Allowances and Benefits

Children

• Children from birth through age 18 and 3 months undergoing chemotherapy at are entitled to a Disabled Child Benefit.
• Fore more information on eligibility during and after treatments see Disabled Child Benefit for Children with Cancer
• For information on the benefit and related rights, see: Disabled Child Benefit and Related Benefits.

Adults

• General Disability Pension:
  • Patients who have established medical disability and their earning capacity is reduced, are entitled to a disability pension from the National Insurance Institute.
  • For information on establishing medical disability (that may come with various benefits that are not dependent on eligibility for a disability pension) see Establishing disability for cancer patients.
  • Cancer patients in active treatment are entitled to have their disability established for them based only on documentation submitted by their doctors. For more information see Expedited Process ("Fast Track") for Submitting a General Disability Pension Claim.
  • For more information on the pension and related benefits see Disability Pension and Related Benefits.
• Special Services Benefit (Attendance Allowance)
  • One who requires the assistance of another individual for daily activities, might be eligible for Special Services Benefit (Attendance Allowance) and Related Benefits.
  • Those receiving a type of treatment which appears on the National Insurance Institute list of eligible treatments are entitled, based solely on medical documentation, to a 50% Special Services Benefit (Attendance Allowance) without being required to stand before a Special Needs Medical Committee.
• Long-Term Care Benefit:
  • Those who reach retirement age and need assistance in daily activities, may be eligible for long-term care benefits.
  • The benefit is given through the services, or as a monetary benefit.
  • Patients actively receiving chemotherapy (in acorddance with this list of medications are eligible for a temporary Level C Long-Term Care Benefit based on medical documentation. For more information see Fast-track for the Long-Term Care Benefit without a dependency test.

Waiting Time for Surgeries for Cancer Patients

• Cancer Patients that require specific surgeries due to their illness are entitled to have the surgery performed within a limited amount of time from when the decision to perform the surgery was made. See Surgery Waiting Period for Cancer and Blood Disorder Patients.
• In a case where the health fund is unable to schedule the surgery within a the maximum time established, the patient should contact the Arrangements Center in order to receive an earlier appointment.

Choosing a Hospital

• Some of the Health care plans allow oncology patients to chose their own treating hospital. For more information see, Health Plan Choice of Service Provider Arrangements.

Sick Days for Family Members

• Sick Days Due to an Ill Spouse - Employees are entitled to up to 60 absent days within a year for a malignant disease of their spouse.
• Sick Days Due to an Ill Child - A parent can is entitled to up to 90 absent days within a year for a malignant disease of a child under the age of 18 (and up to 110 days, if he/she is the only parent who takes absent days from his/her employment)

Transportation and Mobility

• Coverage of Travel Expenses for Medical Treatment is provided by the patients HMO.
• One whose mobility is limited, may be eligible for a Disabled Parking Permit and a Reduced License Fee.
• Exemption from Payment of Hospital Parking Fees - Government hospitals provide patients treated with chemotherapy no charge for parking.
• In the Jerusalem area, one can receive assistance of free transportation through various aid agencies and volunteer organizations.

Fertility Preservation

• Women, until the age of 40, who are about to receive treatment which could harm their ovaries, are eligible to do Ovary Freezing (Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation) through the The Healthcare Basket.
• Oncology patients are eligible for financial assistance for Sperm Depositing.

Additional Rights and Benefits

• Dental Care Funding for Cancer Patients provided to those whose teeth were damaged as a result of chemotherapy
• Hostel for Cancer Patients Undergoing Oncology Treatments (in the center of the country).
• Health Plan Funding of Wigs for Cancer Patients
• Assistance Purchasing and Borrowing Wigs for Cancer Patients
• Financial Assistance from the Israel Cancer Association
• Look Good... Feel Better Project for Cancer Patients
• Supportive Home Care for Cancer Patients
• Holistic Center in honor of Yuri Shtern
• Insurance for Cancer Patients Traveling Abroad
• Medical Cannabis

Patients' Rights by Health Plan

• Health Care Basket for Oncology Patients - on the Ministry of Health's "Kol HaBriut" website
• Rights for Clalit policy holders
• Rights for Maccabi policy holders
• Rights for Meuhedet policy holders
• Rights for Leumit policy holders (select the oncology or hematology field)

Additional Publications

• Israel Cancer Association website: Information on chemotherapy

Credits

• Original translation performed by The Shira Pransky Project as part of a grant from The Fellowship Fund.