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LAW OFFICE OF THE TURKISH
DIABETES FOUNDATION
M. Temel Yılmaz, Şehnaz Karadeniz, Emel Özer, Tülay Demirege, Betül Sümer
LAW OFFICE
Established in the year 2002
Two lawyers are in charge
Give legal advice and advocacy
-free of charge for people who can not afford it
-take over cases serving as a model free of charge
-currently 8 cases are sued for
2 cases serving as a model have been won
MAIN PROBLEMS Partial coverage of the expenses by the
social insurance institutions
People with no social insurance
Inadequate application of the regulations existent rights
Obscured resistance for reimbursement
Discrimination
No Diabetes Act
INSURANCE SYSTEMS IN TURKEY Not all people are covered by a health insurance
system
Several insurance systems with different regulations for
-governmental employees and pensioners (Emekli Sandığı)
-workers (Sosyal Sigorta)
-self-employed persons (Bağ-Kur)
-all !!! (Private insurances)
-officially documented very poor people (GreenCard)
OTHER PROBLEMS
Patients are not aware of their rightsPatients do not know where to apply in
needThe legislators are not aware about the
extent of the problems of diabetic patients
Social environment does not know what diabetes is and what kind of problems patients has to face
OUR WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS
• Meetings– For patients– For parents
• Articles in our “Living & Diabetes” magazine
Patients are not aware of their rights
• Booklets– “Rights of the diabetic children for the
treatment and follow-up given by the social insurance institutions” published in the year 1997
– “Social insurance rights of diabetic patients”
published in the year 2003
OUR WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS
Patients are not aware of their rights
• Organization of Meetings
– Together with the participation of the legislators and diabetes organizations, Diabetes Nurses Association, Turkish Dietetic
Association
• Blood glucose screening in the Parliament
OUR WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS
The legislators are not aware about the extent of the problems of diabetic
patients
• Public Meetings
• Meetings for special groups– For teachers, schoolchildren and parents
– For the police force
• Blood glucose screening
OUR WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS
Social environment do not know what diabetes is and what kind of problems
patient has to face
• Social activities– World Diabetes Day celebrations during the
week in appr. 25 cities
– Participation to the activities of several civilian organizations
• Publications, also for special groups – School package
– Diabetes booklet for police
OUR WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS
Social environment do not know what diabetes is and what kind of problems
patient has to face
• Efforts to describe the situation to the officials and to the administration of related institutions for the proper application
• Institution of legal proceedings
OUR WAYS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS
Inappropriate application of the existent rights
ACHIEVEMENTS from 1996 to 2006
Strips - 1996 No reimbursement
- 2006 Reimbursement available 3 strips/day for patients with T1DM 1 strip/day for patients with T2DM
ACHIEVEMENTS from 1996 to 2006
Schoolchildren1996 No programs for schoolchildren with diabetes
2006 -Appropriate arrangement for meals and
snacks -Diabetes education programs for schoolchildren and teachers -Improvement of school canteens/cafeterias are on the agenda
ACHIEVEMENTS from 1996 to 2006
Police Department
1996 No diabetes program for policemen and no regulations for diabetic patients in jail or under custody
2006
- Diabetes education was given to appr. 650 administrators of
the several police departments in İstanbul
- Regulation for the people in jail and under custody for their
meal planning to maintain proper diabetes treatment
- The regulation was sent to every department with informative material about diabetes attached
- Traffic policemen were informed about probable problems of drivers with diabetes
HOW CAN THE LAW OFFICE BE REACHED?
Handouts about the Law Office
Website
Announcement in Living & Diabetes magazine
Thank you...
