Bituach Leumi medical committee: how to prepare, what happens and how to appeal

How disability percentages are set

• Each impairment on the list has a set percentage. For example, limited movement of the cervical spine is 10%, 20% or 30%, depending on severity.
• With several impairments the percentages are weighted, not added: each further impairment is calculated from what remains. 20% for the back plus 10% for a leg gives 28%, not 30%. Try it with the disability percentage calculator.
• Some impairments are recorded but not counted towards general disability, because they are deemed not to affect your ability to work.
• General disability has a second stage: if the medical percentage is high enough, a degree of incapacity is set — 60%, 65%, 74% or 100%. You may also be invited to meet a rehabilitation worker.

Tips: how to prepare

1. Gather recent medical documents for every condition: specialist summaries, tests, imaging, hospital discharge summaries, psychiatric assessments and a list of medications. Send them in advance through the personal area and bring organised copies.
2. Write one page: each condition and how it limits you today at home, at work and in daily life. Nerves make people forget things; you can hand the page to the doctor and it is attached to the protocol.
3. Bring your ID card or another photo ID. Without it you will not be examined.
4. If needed, book an interpreter for any language using the Bituach Leumi form. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people get transcription or sign language interpreting free of charge.
5. You may bring a companion — a relative, friend, interpreter or lawyer.
6. Check exactly where the committee meets and arrive on time. You may have to wait, and people are not always called in order of arrival.

If you have been summoned, you can pick a date yourself in the personal area for special services, disabled child, work injury, hostilities victims and income tax committees, up to two months ahead.

What happens at the committee

• Before you go in, the doctor reads the documents in your file. When you enter you show ID, and the doctor and secretary introduce themselves.
• If you know the doctor personally, or they are your treating doctor, say so. They cannot examine you and you will be given another committee.
• You will be asked to list your conditions and how they affect your life. Keep it short, focus on how you are today rather than the past, and use the list you prepared.
• The examination is to set a percentage, not to treat you, so there is no point asking the doctor about treatment.
• The doctor decides whether to examine you physically. Your companion may stay in the room during the examination.
• If the committee needs more tests or documents, it does not set a percentage until they arrive and sends you a letter listing what is needed.

After the committee

• After you leave, the doctor dictates the findings and sets the percentage, the date it applies from, and whether it is temporary or permanent.
• Once a decision is made on your claim, you receive a letter with a copy of the protocol. Keep it: it is useful for the income tax exemption and other purposes.
• You can request the interim protocol and the specialists' opinions. For work injuries the opinions are shown in the personal area.

If you cannot attend

You can ask to postpone in the personal area up to 7 days before the committee, twice. A third request, or a last-minute one, is reviewed by the branch. With the approval of a Bituach Leumi doctor, the committee can be held by video or without you, based on documents.

Expense refunds

• Public transport: if you travel at least 40 km each way. For special services committees there is no distance condition, and none for disabled children from age 5.
• Special transport, such as a taxi or ambulance: if the committee or a Bituach Leumi doctor confirmed you cannot use public transport.
• Meals: if you were away from home for at least 4 hours and the distance is at least 40 km.
• Accommodation: if you had to stay away for 24 hours and the distance is at least 50 km, with receipts.
• A companion: if it was confirmed that you need one.

Submit the expense refund form with receipts, online or at the branch.

Appealing the decision

The appeals committee can also lower your percentage. If it is considering that, you will be told, and in many cases you can withdraw the appeal. The appeals committee's decision can be challenged only on a point of law, at the regional labour court, within 60 days. Free legal aid is available from the Ministry of Justice legal aid offices.

Frequently asked questions

Calculators for this topic

• Disability percentage calculator

  Combines impairments like a medical committee and checks the thresholds for disability benefits and tax relief.

Worth checking too

• Appealing a Bituach Leumi decision

  Where to file and how fast: appeals committee, advisory committee, claims committee or Labour Court — depending on the decision.

• General Disability Allowance

  A monthly allowance for people whose earning capacity fell by at least 50% because of illness, injury or a birth defect. Up to ₪4,711 a month.

• Attendance Allowance

  For people aged 18 to retirement age who need a lot of help from another person with daily activities, or supervision. ₪1,943–₪9,126 a month.

• Work Disability Benefit

  A pension or grant for people left with a disability after a work injury. Earnings from work do not reduce it.

• Disability Tax Exemption (9(5))

  People with a disability of 90% or more, or who are blind, pay no income tax on earnings up to ₪445,200 a year.

Sources

• Bituach Leumi: medical committees (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: tips before the committee (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: how the committee works (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: postponing a committee (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: expense refunds (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: general disability committee (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: general disability appeals (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: work disability appeals (Hebrew)
• Bituach Leumi: income tax exemption committee (Hebrew)