INPS

The following individuals can submit a claim for recognition of a civilian invalidity, blindness, deafness, disability or physical impairment:

• Italian nationals resident in Italy;
• EU foreign nationals lawfully resident in Italy and registered in the registry office of their municipality of residence;
• Non-EU foreign nationals lawfully resident in Italy on a residence permit for a minimum of one year as stipulated by Article 41 of the Consolidated immigration Act, even if they do not hold a long-term EC residence permit.

Individuals are assessed to check whether they meet the health requirements provided for by the law for recognition of their civilian invalidity, blindness, deafness, disability or physical impairment. The verification is carried out by a medical verification council from the local health authorities or from the INPS itself in provinces in which the Region has delegated the verification procedure to the Institute.

When an individual is called to undergo a medical verification, they must submit a copy of the following documents to the council:

• Identification document;
• preliminary medical certificate sent to the INPS by the individual's general physician;
• health documentation on their pathologies;
• copy of the appointment letter.

To begin the assessment procedure to ascertain civilian invalidity status, the individual concerned must first visit a certifying doctor (their G.P. will suffice) and ask for a preliminary medical certificate to be issued, which must state, in addition to the individual's personal details, their tax code, national health card data and the precise nature of their disability and its diagnosis.

The doctor will fill out the certificate online and send it to the INPS using the appropriate service. They will then print a full receipt with the unique certificate number of the procedure initiated. The doctor will send this receipt to the individual concerned, together with a copy of the original medical certificate that the individual will have to produce during the medical verification appointment.

The preliminary medical certificate is valid for 90 daysfor the submission of a civilian invalidity claim.

Once they have been issued the medical certificate, the claim for recognition of a civilian invalidity, blindness, deafness, disability or physical impairment must be submitted online using the online service with the PIN . For claims submitted by minors, their PIN code must be used, not their parent's or guardian's PIN code. Alternatively, claims can be submitted by the patronage institute or a trade association for people with disabilities (ANMIC, ENS, UIC, ANFASS).

Except in the case of deterioration claims under Law 80/2006, new claims for the same benefits cannot be submitted until the procedure in progress has been closed, or in the case of an appeal against a decision, until a final judgement has been delivered.

Once the complete claim has been received, in the case of provinces in which the health verification is performed by the local health authorities (ASL), the INPS will send the claim online to the competent ASL.

Once the claim has been submitted, the individual will be given the date of the health verification appointment, based on the appointment calendar of their ASL or the ASL of their alternative residence. If the verification is to be carried out by the INPS, the institute's own medical verification council will schedule the date of the appointment.

For cancer patients , the medical verification appointment will be scheduled within 15 days of the claim.

If the individual is unable to travel , the certifying doctor (who does not have to be the doctor certifying the disability) must fill out and send the medical certificate requesting a home visit online, at least five days before the date scheduled for the ASL or INPS doctor's verification. The chairman of the medical council will deliver the decision within five days of receipt of the request and inform the individual of the date and time of the home visit, or will propose a new date for the ASL or INPS doctor's verification.

If they are unable to make the proposed appointment, the individual concerned may choose another appointment time from one of the possible dates shown on the system. If the individual concerned does not turn up to the appointment, they will be called a second time. If they fail to make any appointments after this, it will be deemed waived and they will lose the claim.

During the medical verification appointment, the individual concerned may ask a doctor they trust to be present.

Once the assessments have been carried out, the council will write up a medical verification report signed by at least three doctors (including the union representative, where appropriate).

The ASL report is then validated by the INPS Forensic Centre (CML) that will then arrange new assessments or schedule a direct visit.

The final report will be sent in duplicate to the individual concerned: one copy will state all health information (including sensitive data) and the other copy will only contain the final decision. Copies of the report will be sent via registered post with acknowledgement of receipt or to the certified email address provided by the user and will be available in the online mailbox.

The Superior Medical Council (CMS) will perform random monitoring or monitoring on notification of INPS medical centres on the reports drawn up by medical councils. Statements drawn up by the Superior Medical Council (CMS) after the report has been sent to the individual concerned may call for review of the health documentation on file or a direct visit.

If the medical council deems that the disability is likely to change over time, the report will show the date by which time the person with the disability must undergo another verification.

With Ministerial Decree of 2 August 2007, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Health set out which pathologies and physical impairments are exempt from assessment visits. The decree specifies the health documentation that the individual concerned or the ASL medical councils (if not already on file) must provide, which is suitable to corroborate the disability.

Individuals with a disability or pathology who report that their conditions have worsened may submit an appropriate claim online to the INPS, accompanied by the medical certificate providing evidence of the change in the pre-existing clinical picture.

Individuals cannot submit a new claim for the same benefits until the health/administration procedure in progress has been closed, or in the case of an appeal against a decision, until a final judgement has been delivered. However, cancer patients whose conditions have worsened can submit a new claim at any time.