30 August, 2021

On July 9, 2021, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Government of Georgia with a recommendation within the framework of a case of discrimination on the grounds of disability.
The applicant is a person with disabilities, who was not reimbursed for the universal health care (orthopedic endoprosthesis) that is funded by the State for certain groups. In particular, based on the Government Decree No. 36 of 21 February 2013, orthopedic endoprosthesis shall be funded only for persons with severe disabilities.
The Public Defender notes in the recommendation that although in the medical model of assessment of persons with disabilities, persons with severe disabilities represent a particularly vulnerable group, it is necessary to introduce a social model of assessment of persons with disabilities, which will assess a person not according to his/her medical diagnosis but his/her individual needs. The decision also states that before changing the assessment model, it is important to take into account the individual needs of persons with disabilities when defining target groups of health care programmes.
Based on the above, the Public Defender called on the Prime Minister of Georgia to change the state policy regarding the reimbursement of medical expenses of exoprostheses and orthopedic endoprostheses for persons with disabilities.