Health Insurance in Israel

The chance of getting serious diseases

Throughout life, the chances of such events within the family are significant. Let’s take a well-known example. Cancer is the second leading cause of death after heart diseases. According to information published on the War on Cancer Association’s website in 2023, around 30,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year, and about 11,000 die from the disease annually in Israel. Each year, a list of drugs that enter the drug basket is published. Some of these drugs deal with cancer. However, there are drugs that do not enter the basket. Sometimes these are new and very expensive drugs that can cost tens of thousands of shekels per month. In the case of no private insurance, you will have to pay for these drugs yourself. In the case of private insurance, the insurance will cover the cost of these drugs.

What are the rights that apply in case of surgery

In the case of surgery, the public system will provide a response. But its means are subject to the means available to the health fund. The surgeon will be determined by the health fund. The surgery time will also be determined based on the urgency of the situation and the capabilities of the health fund. Anyone who has ever booked an appointment with a health fund knows that sometimes you can wait many months for a response. In urgent cases, you do receive a certain priority, but it also depends on the capabilities and referrals of the surgeons and operating rooms. In less urgent cases, you may have to wait long periods, creating uncertainty and prolonging and complicating the healing process. With private insurance, it is possible to schedule surgery quickly. In addition, you can benefit from innovative and advanced treatment technologies that are not available in the public system. The choice of the surgeon can also be made from a list on the insurance company’s website, which includes the many surgeons working with the insurance company. In more complex surgeries, the identity of the surgeon is significant. His experience and resume matter, which is important for both the success of the surgery and the peace of mind needed in such a process.

Also, health funds generally provide medical responses only within the country (there are certain cases where it is possible to receive services abroad, but they are limited).

In the case of a need for surgery abroad, private health insurance will cover the expenses of the process—this includes not only the costs of the surgery but also travel and accommodation expenses, and more.

Of course, the case presented here is just one example of many. Private health insurance addresses many complex health cases with the goal of providing broad coverage.

In addition, private health insurance includes funding for consultations with specialists. It is also possible to expand the basket of routine services, such as periodic screenings, pregnancy tests, preparation for childbirth, emotional treatments for children, developmental therapies, and even complementary medicine. Also accessibility to a family or children’s doctor online and more.

Another advantage that exists in private health insurance is the matter of self-participation. When it comes to a “first shekel” type of insurance, there is no need for self-participation at all.

Private health insurance is considered a “family” type of insurance, meaning it guarantees a wide range of health services. There is an option to purchase a “compensation” policy, which means that in the event of a health event, a serious illness, and the like, a predetermined financial compensation will be received in advance. Starting from one hundred thousand shekels up to half a million shekels. This policy is called a “serious illness” policy.