Fibromyalgia (Health)

Introduction:

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain throughout the musculoskeletal system, joints and bones, with no inflammatory background. Other symptoms may include sleep disturbances, fatigue, general morning stiffness, headaches, difficulty concentrating and memory (cognitive disorders) difficulties, dizziness, numbness in the hands, abnormal body temperature (up to 37.5 ° C), as well as a sensitivity to light, smell, temperature changes and more.

Medication and the Health Care System

• People suffering from fibromyalgia that need regular treatment are considered chronically ill and are eligible from paying above a certain amount for medications that are part of the health care basket. For more information see Medication Payment Ceiling for the Chronically Ill.
• People suffering from chronic illness who are insured through a kupat cholim (health fund) are entitled to receive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy (treatment in the water) treatments from their health fund. For more information see:
  • Physiotherapy Treatment in Water on the Ministry of Health website.
  • Physiotherapy (including hydrotherapy) in the community on the Ministry of Health's "kol habriut" website.
• Someone who has been treated at a recognized pain clinic for over a year is entitled to submit a request to receive medical cannabis.
  • The request can be submitted after the usual treatment options have been exhausted.
  • The request should completed with a recommendation of the treating pain clinic doctor and should include the full BRIEF PAIN INVENTORY questionnaire.
• Pain clinic patients that suffer from emotional issues because of their illness are entitled to receive psychological diagnosis and treatment from rehabilitation or medical psychologists. For more information see Emotional Support for Sick and Disabled Patients through the Kupot Cholim (Rehabilitative and Medical Psychological Treatment).

Disability and Pensions

• Fibromyalgia is not on the list of illnesses and disorders for which rates of medical disability are determined (general disability or workplace disability) according to the addition to the National Insurance Regulations (Level of Disability for Workplace Accident Victims).
• Nevertheless people can have medical disability established because of fibromyalgia:
  • Amendment 14 of the regulations states that a disorder that is not on the list can have disability established for it at the same rate as a disorder the committee thinks is similar to it.
  • According to this amendment, the National Insurance Institute medical committee has sometimes determined that those with fibromyalgia have the same level of medical disability as those with anemia (because the diseases have similar consequences).
• In other cases, disability rates are also determined based on a different effect of the syndrome (for example, a defect in the loco-motor system).
• General Disability Pension:
  • When Submitting a General Disability Pension Claim a letter from a doctor with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia should be included. For more specific information see Determining Disability for People with Rheumatic Diseases.
  • Eligibility for a disability pension is contingent on establishment of a degree of incapacity of at least 50%.
  • For more information about the benefit see Disability Pension and Related Benefits.
• There are certain rights that are given to those with medical disability, even if they are not eligible for the disability pension.
• There may be cases of compensation claims from different agencies because of disability, where a causal relationship is found between the onset of fibromyalgia and a traumatic event or accident.

Example

Road Accident Victims that developed fibromyalgia because of the accident and were granted compensation from their insurance companies, or soldiers who developed fibromyalgia because of the circumstances of their service and the Ministry of Defense has recognized them as disabled IDF soldiers.

Additional Information

Court Rulings

• 7096/05 Miriam Oppeheimer v. Zolfa Food Warehouses ltd. - compensation paid to a woman who developed fibromyalgia as a result of an accident that took place in the supermarket (see also the appeal to the case that was partially accepted).

Aid Organizations

• Shades of Purple Organization for the Rights of People with Fibromyalgia
• ASAF - Organization for CFS and Fibromyalgia
• For a list of Health and Illness/Aid Organizations

Government Agencies

• The Ministry of Health
• The National Insurance Institute

Laws and Regulations

• The National Health Insurance Law
• The National Insurance Law
• The Compensation for Vehicle Accident Victims Law

Additional Publications

• Fibromyalgia on the Clalit website

Credits

• English translation and maintenance by The Shira Pransky Project.