Polio victims from 1950s to receive monthly stipends, lump sum

Victims of the 1950s polio epidemic will receive one-time compensation from the state and a monthly payment, under legislation finalized after three years of negotiations.

A total of NIS 165 million will be paid out to those who qualify after applying to the National Insurance Institute (NII).

Most of the estimated 3,000 polio victims who would be eligible for compensation were between the ages of 3 and 4 when they contracted the disease. Relatives of polio victims who have died will not be entitled to the compensation.

Livnat Poran, CEO of the Medical Rights Center, said Tuesday that polio victims whose disability was evaluated by the NII as 75 percent will receive a one-time payment of NIS 50,000; those with a disability of 75 to 94 percent will receive a one-time payment of NIS 100,000; and those with over 95-percent disability will receive NIS 120,000.

Polio sufferers with 100-percent disability will be eligible for a monthly allowance that is 50 percent of the average wage in Israel, or NIS 3,768. Those whose disability is between 20 percent to 100 percent will receive a monthly allowance relative to the percentage of disability.

Poran said the state would also participate in the cost of polio victims' medical treatments that are not included in the health basket.