Israel Medical Insurance News

Israel, ranked 23rd in the Human Development Index, has a high life expectancy (80.9 years for women, 76.7 for men), thanks partly no doubt to its modern health system, with its high physician to patient ratio, and reputation for advanced medical techniques and research. This reputation is actively promoted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism, which has had some success in making Israel a popular destination for medical tourism- 15,000 foreigners visited Israel to have medical procedures in 2006, which brought the country $40 million dollars in revenue.

In 1995 the National Health Insurance law was passed, ensuring that all permanent residents of Israel would be insured for a standardized basket of medical services, including hospitalization, with one of four comprehensive health-care funds: Clalit, Maccabi, Meuchedet and Leumit. This law was the latest stage in a long tradition of social healthcare provision in Israel. The majority of the Israeli population was already insured with one of the funds; those who weren’t were assigned to one by the government, and it is possible to switch funds once a year. The funds are required to accept anyone regardless of their age or medical history, and members pay progressive insurance contributions depending on their circumstances; employers also pay a health tax. New immigrants must register with one of the health-care organizations when they arrive in the country and are exempt from payment during their first year in Israel. The funds are allowed to offer supplementary insurance for treatments not included in the basket, according to certain egalitarian conditions. The government may add treatments to the basket as technology progresses and according to what doctors deem is medically necessary and able to be offered universally. The law inevitably has some budgetary problems, but the system is now firmly established. It does not, however, cover tourists or foreign workers.

A good quality health service comes at a price. Israel has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world, on a par with Hong Kong; only the US is more expensive. While Israel’s socialized health system is designed to compensate for this, it does not cover tourists and non-permanent residents, who should take out insurance privately, either with an Israeli company or with an international insurance company. Employers of foreign workers are required to provide them with private insurance equivalent to the benefits package Israelis are insured for, but in practice these policies are often more limited, and may not cover prior diseases or chronic conditions, and may also be difficult to renew if you fall ill. The advantages of global medical insurance cover for expatriates deciding to live in Israel are several. The premium is based on your age and area of cover, and unaffected by any claims you make. The policy can travel with you if and when you leave Israel, and such policies are typically guaranteed renewable for life, i.e. there is no age limit beyond which you can no longer be covered. If you were to be insured locally, should you develop a serious condition while in Israel you might have difficulty obtaining health insurance in the future outside the country with another insurer. You can also obtain a global insurance policy that is not tied to your employer and will stay with you should you decide to move jobs. Many of the policies we provide also cover medical evacuation and repatriation to your home country. This can provide peace of mind to expatriates who want to know that they can be treated at home in a familiar environment should the worst come to the worst, without having to worry about the high financial costs of sudden emergency repatriation.

Israel’s medical and paramedical infrastructure (namely, Magen David Adom, or The Red Shield of David- Israel's national emergency medical, ambulance and blood bank service) is well developed, though the same can not necessarily be said of all areas of the West Bank or the Gaza strip. For more information, please see our list of hospitals/doctors in Israel. In a life threatening emergency, the Israeli health services will treat anyone, but should you fail to pay afterwards you are likely to be kept in the country until you do. Victims of hostilities in Israel- Israeli citizens and residents, tourists, and people working for Israeli companies abroad who are injured in hostilities, are eligible for various benefits from the Israeli government according to circumstances, but this should not be relied upon as a substitute for comprehensive Israel expat health insurance should the unthinkable happen.

For more information about Israel expat health insurance, the international health insurance plans that we can offer in Israel, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

Can you provide coverage in the UK and USA?
International health insurance plans offered by pacific prime will allow you to receive treatment with the doctor or hospital of your choice anywhere in the world. Plans that we can provide will afford you worldwide coverage, ensuring that should you be located in either the USA or the UK your medical insurance plan will give you the peace-of-mind which you deserve. 2010-07-16 08:31:08
Category: Coverage , USA	Read Answer Here
Do you provide medical insurance for people who retire abroad?
Pacific Prime can provide comprehensive international health insurance plans to individuals who plan on retiring outside of their home country. Our expat health insurance plans for international retirees are generally guaranteed renewable for life and will often be globally portable, ensuring that in the event of your departure from the foreign nation that your plan will be able to continue to provide you with the high levels of protection you require. 2011-12-20 09:40:45
Category: Coverage , Pre-existing , Individual , in-patient , out-patient , Treatment	Read Answer Here