›› CNAS – ONAAPH

On the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and under the auspices of the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, a new agreement for the coverage of assistive devices and accessories for people with special needs was signed on December 03, 2012, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and National Fund for Social Insurance of the Salaried Workers (CNAS) and the National Office of Assistive Devices and Accessories for Persons with Disabilities (ONAAPH).

The purpose of the agreement is to set the conditions for the supply by ONAAPH of orthopaedic equipment products, walking technical aids, hearing aids and health technical aids as listed in the general equipment nomenclature.

Definition of assistive devices:

A device is a technical tool designed to supplement or replace an organic function that is missing or deficient,

This includes :

• A prosthesis, the purpose of which is to replace a wholly or partially missing organ.
• Orthoses are used to correct body defects.
• Attachment systems and any other accessories for the functioning of the device.
• Wheelchairs and motorised mobility aids.

Beneficiaries of the equipment :

Beneficiaries of the supplied products are insured individuals and their dependants who require an assistive device and who meet the set out conditions for entitlement under the regulations in force.

Obligations of the National Office for Assistive Devices and Accessories for Disabled Persons with regard to insured individuals:

The ONAAPH undertakes to meet all requests for articles or technical means of rehabilitation as soon as it receives payment, within a delivery period not exceeding ninety (90) days from the date of payment by the Office’s centres for major assistive devices and thirty (30) days for orthopaedic footwear.

The centre or local branch of assistive devices gives the beneficiary an assistive device booklet or a patient card as soon as he/she register with the ONAAPH.

Prescription of the assistive device :

For the first fitting, the ONAAPH doctor defines the device after examination, following referral by the beneficiary’s attending physician.

For the renewal of any assistive device the attending physician’s prescription as well as the fund’s prior agreement are mandatory.

Coverage:

The beneficiary, with the medical prescription and the estimated cost, must go to the CNAS to obtain coverage.

As a general rule, assistive devices and products are covered at a rate of 80% of the conventional rate set out in the agreement, while major assistive devices, orthopaedic shoes, and ostomy bags are covered at a rate of 100%.

Repair and renewal of assistive devices and other technical aids:

Beneficiaries are entitled to the repair and renewal of their assistive device(s) after approval by the Fund’s medical officer. The renewal of assistive devices is only granted if they are out of use and/or recognised as irreparable or if changes in the patient’s condition justify it.

Orthopaedic shoes may only be renewed if they are out of use and/or recognised as irreparable or if this is justified by changes in the patient’s condition, after approval by the Fund’s medical officer,

The deadlines must not be :

• less than five (05) months: for children (under 15).
• less than eight (08) months: for adults.

What you need to know :

• All upper limb prostheses are delivered with an aesthetic glove.
• All myo-electrically controlled upper limb prostheses are delivered with a battery charger and a spare battery.
• All tibial contact lower limb prostheses are delivered with 02 protective sheaths.
• All femoral contact-type lower limb prostheses are delivered without sheaths or stump socks.
• Any tibial lower limb prosthesis with a conventional socket is delivered with 02 stump socks.
• All conventional femoral lower limb prostheses are supplied with 02 stump socks.

In addition to streamlining procedures and making it easier to access these products, this new agreement has extended the range of items that are covered, with the inclusion of new assistive devices with technical features in line with international standards, combining modernity, aesthetics and reliability and meeting the needs and expectations of people with special needs.