Kupat Cholim (Health Plans)

Four health plans, or Kupot Cholim, provide health care services in Israel: Maccabi, Meuhedet, Clalit and Leumit. Each health plan offers several levels of service: the basic basket of services, supplemental insurance and long-term care insurance. Contact information may be found below.

Currently, it is possible to register for health coverage at the airport. Please research which healthcare provider offers the best services in your new Israeli community, so that you will be prepared to register with a healthcare provider upon your arrival at Ben Gurion airport.

The Basic Basket of Services
By law, the Kupot Cholim must accept all applicants for services regardless of their age or prior medical history. In other words, pre-existing conditions are irrelevant when applying for basic health insurance in Israel.

The health plans are required by law to provide a basic basket of services to their customers within a reasonable distance of their residence. See Health Care Overview for information about payment. The basket is identical among the health plans and includes: physicians visits, diagnostic and laboratory services, limited paramedical services (physical therapy, speech therapy, etc.), medical equipment, rehabilitation, hospitalizations (including for births), and prescription medications. Note that not every type of service, treatment or prescription is available in the basic basket. Most services require a co-payment (or out-of-pocket payment) one time per quarter. The payment ranges between 6 NIS (family physician) to 25 NIS (hospital outpatient visits).

For additional tips on getting the most out of your Kupat Cholim coverage, please see 5 Things to Know About Your Kupat Cholim, courtesy of The Shira Pransky Project. The Shira Pransky Project was established to assist English-speaking medical patients in Israel by facilitating the accessibility of rights, benefits and support through education and advocacy.

Supplemental Insurance
It is possible to purchase supplemental insurance (Bituach Mashlim) from your health plan in order to receive wider coverage. Supplemental plans offer a wider selection of medications, consultations with professionals outside of the health plans (second opinions), dental medicine, surgery abroad and alternative medicine including chiropractics, homeopathy, etc. Most health plans offer several supplemental plans and differences between health plans exist in the scope of services offered and in the cost. The cost of a supplemental plan varies based on the following factors: your age, the size of your family, and the type of plan that you select. After joining a supplemental insurance plan, there may be a waiting period of up to 24 months for eligibility for specific services. Before you sign up, find out what the waiting period involves, for the plan that interests you.

Note: The health plans cannot reject applicants for supplemental insurance based on their age or pre-existing conditions, with the exception of long-term nursing care insurance, which is more selective.

Residency Requirements for Kupat Cholim Coverage

In order to receive continuous Kupat Cholim coverage, an Israeli citizen’s “center of life” -- as determined by Bituach Leumi -- must be in Israel, not abroad. Bituach Leumi considers a number of factors in determining “center of life,” including whether you own an apartment in Israel, where you live, where the rest of your family lives, and whether you reside in Israel more than 182 days in the calendar year. The determination is established on a case-by-case basis, and Bituach Leumi can decide that your "center of life" is not in Israel (even if you did spend 182 days in Israel during the year).

If you do not expect to remain in Israel for at least 182 days in the calendar year, you are advised to maintain coverage abroad. Note: Bituach Leumi occasionally reviews an Oleh's residency over a three to five year period; if you have been spending more time abroad than in Israel throughout this period of time, your right to Kupat Cholim health coverage may be jeopardized (even if you may still be paying Kupat Cholim supplementary health insurance fees).

Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance is available through the health plans, as well as via private insurance agents. Long-term care insurance provides financial participation in long-term care costs in a residential facility or at home for persons who cannot perform activities of daily life alone and require assistance and supervision. Additionally, persons who need supervision due to illness (such as Alzheimer's disease) also are entitled to long-term care. Persons using their long-term care insurance are generally required to pay co-payments.

The long-term care insurance offered by each health plan is identical for all participants. The premium paid is the same for each age group, and increases with age. In some health plans, the level of coverage is higher for members who joined at an earlier age.

It is important to note that there is a maximum amount of time that is covered in any given long-term care policy (generally up to 5 years). If one required long-term care for a period of time longer than the maximum amount, one would need to pay out-of-pocket for these services. It is also important to note that the long-term care insurance policies offered through the health plans are private insurance policies, unlike the basic and supplemental plans. Practically, this means that the insurer can refuse to provide coverage based on age and/or preexisting conditions.

Clalit Health Services
English Site: http://www.clalit.co.il/HE-IL/english
Hebrew Site: http://www.clalit.co.il/HE-IL/contactus/ombudsman/
Phone: 1-222-2700 or *2700 from Israel

Leumit Health Fund
English Site: http://www.leumit.co.il/eng/
Hebrew Site: http://www.leumit.co.il/
Phone: 1-700-507-507 or *507
E-mail: http://www.leumit.co.il/eng/contactus.asp

Maccabi Healthcare Services
English Site: http://www.maccabi4u.co.il/1837-he/Maccabi.aspx
Hebrew Site: www.maccabi4u.co.il
Phone: 1-700-505-353 or *3555

Meuhedet Health Fund
English Site: http://lang.meuhedet.co.il
Hebrew Site: https://www.meuhedet.co.il/
Phone: 1-222-3833, 09-8633336 or *3833 from Israel
E-mail: aliyah@meuhedet.co.il

Nefesh BNefesh

Kupat Cholim (Health Plans)