When an insured person contracts an occupational disease and applies for occupational sickness benefits, he/she may access a speedy and convenient service by submitting relevant assessment reports or diagnosis certificates issued by a hospital specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases and approved by the Ministry of Labor (hereinafter referred to as “the Designated Hospital”). The BLI will review and approve the occupational sickness benefits based on the documents, provided that there are sufficient evidences on relevant occupational exposure.
According to the Ministry of Labor, the determination of an occupational disease should be made by a physician specialized in occupational medicine, who has the professional knowledge to decide whether the disease suffered by the insured person is relevant to his/her job. If an insured person is suspected to have contracted an occupational disease but has not received any diagnosis from a physician specialized in occupational medicine, the BLI will, as part of its review process, check and retrieve the relevant employment record and medical history of the insured person, which will be forwarded to the designated physicians specialized in occupational medicine for confirmation. This involves more lengthy and complicated administrative procedures.
To help the workers access relevant medical services, the Ministry of Labor has assigned hospitals/hospital networks for the diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases. When an insured person is suspected to have an occupational disease, he/she may firstly visit a Designated Hospital to receive integrated medical treatment, and, when confirmed of the disease, obtain relevant assessment reports or diagnosis certificate from a physician specialized in occupational medicine. This will significantly reduce the time and efforts for the BLI to review the applications, in the meantime ensure speedy approval of the benefits.
The Ministry of Labor further explained that, the Designated Hospitals are approved and established in May, 2022 according to the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act. The hospitals provide integrated services including the reporting, diagnosis, treatment, medical and occupational rehabilitation for workers suffering from occupational injuries/ illness, as well as case management and vocational rehabilitation services. Workers suffering from occupational diseases are encouraged to utilize such services whenever necessary. To obtain further details about the list of Designated Hospitals and their contact information, please visit the website of the
Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation.