When philosophy student Sidsel Størmer (23) applied for a grant from Lånekassen, she was told that she is so rich that she is not entitled to a grant. This is despite the fact that most of the money in Sidsel’s account comes from a government patient compensation. They will cover the costs she has due to visual impairment for the rest of her life. – Since I have received patient injury compensation, I am being refused a grant by Lånekassen, and it feels like a slap in the face, says Sidsel. news has previously written about how future returns are considered part of public patient compensation, and are deducted from the amount that is actually paid out. Only when you combine the payment, and the expected return on this, do you have enough money to cover Sidsel’s health expenses throughout his life. Since Sidsel received compensation, she has invested the money, in order to get a return in the future. Among other things, she has bought property which she rents out. Different practices Lånekassen defines patient compensation in a different way. They believe that the return on the compensation payment cannot be considered part of the compensation itself. They believe that it must rather be seen as ordinary wealth. Sidsel is therefore disqualified from Lånekassen’s scholarship scheme. After four years of studies, she gets an additional debt of approx. NOK 200,000. – What Lånekassen says is in direct contradiction to what the Patient Injury Board says. So the state disagrees with the state, says Sidsel. This summer, Sidsel completed a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Cambridge University in England. Photo: Carl Størmer Lånekassen does not count returns on patient injury compensation as part of the compensation. This means that students who have received patient compensation are at risk of not receiving a grant. – The way our regulations are formulated today, there is no room to also deduct any return on patient compensation. Then a rule change is needed, says communications director Anette Bjerke. Lånekassen cannot change its own rules, says Anette Bjerke, director of communications at Lånekassen. Photo: Hege Aas/Lånekassen Bjerke explains that Lånekassen cannot change its own rules. They can only make suggestions. Ultimately, the Department of Education must do something to change the rules of the Lånekassen. Will not answer The political leadership in the Ministry of Education will not be interviewed about this matter. They will also not answer questions about the case by e-mail, but point out that the Ministry of Justice is currently going through the patient injury scheme. Sidsel is upset when she hears that the government will not answer questions. – The fact that you have a government that says in its platform that it works for the weakest in society, and still refuses to comment on this matter, is absolutely shameful. The right-winger’s Erlend Svardal Bøe promises to follow up the case in the Storting Photo: The Storting Erlend Svardal Bø is surprised by the government’s behaviour. He is a parliamentary representative for the Conservative Party. – After news’s case, I expect the government to come to the fore and look at the regulations surrounding the practice of this. Bø says that he does not know whether the Conservative Party discussed issues around patient compensation and study grants when they were in government. He promises to follow up on the matter in the coming months. – If the government does not do it, the Conservative Party will do it when the Storting meets in the autumn, he says.
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Visually impaired Sidsel (23) is denied a scholarship from Lånekassen – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
