Kupot Cholim (Health Plans)

Four health plans, or kupot cholim, provide healthcare services in Israel: Clalit, Leumit, Maccabi and Meuhedet. 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.

The basic basket of services – סל הבריאות הבסיסי
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. The basket is identical among the health plans and includes: physicians visits, diagnostic and laboratory services, 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 7 NIS (family physician) to 23 NIS (hospital outpatient visits).

Supplemental insurance - ביטוח משלים
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. After joining a supplemental insurance plan, there may be a waiting period of up to 24 months for eligibility for specific services. The health plans cannot reject applicants for supplemental insurance based on their age or pre-existing conditions.

Long-term care insurance – ביטוח סיעודי
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.

Kupat Cholim Contact Information