The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights held a roundtable discussion on the topic: "Assessment of Daily Functioning: A Patient's Path to Disability Determination, Challenges and Issues." The event discussed key issues faced by servicemen on their path to disability.
Serhiy Hryvko, Head of the Subcommittee on Social Protection and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, recalled that a large-scale reform has started in Ukraine on January 1, 2025: instead of medical and social expert commissions (MSEC), a new system for assessing daily functioning has been introduced. According to him, the procedure for establishing disability has been significantly simplified thanks to digitalization and optimization of processes.
Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs Ruslan Prykhodko emphasized that the reform is complex but critical to supporting wounded servicemen both during service and after their return to civilian life. He noted that the greatest difficulties arise at the local level due to the formal approach of individual family doctors, problems with limited mobility veterans, and the need to visit multiple institutions to obtain medical opinions.
The head of the subcommittee, Anatoliy Ostapenko, drew attention to the fact that the reform affects veterans' access to rehabilitation, social guarantees and a full life. He emphasized the temporary financial difficulties of the military during the registration of disability. Ostapenko also emphasized the importance of preserving the system of sanatorium and resort treatment, which can significantly improve the rehabilitation of defenders and their families, using the available professional and material resources.
