Advice from the Misrad HaKlitah (Ministry of Aliyah and Integration):
*Choosing your Health Fund – Kupat Holim*
🏥 Immediately after making Aliyah, it is very important that you register with one of the four health funds – Clalit, Leumit, Maccabi or Meuhedet– in order to benefit from the coverage of state health insurance.
🤔 You probably registered “on the go” (at the airport) just to ensure that you’re covered, but now you’re not sure that you made the right choice.
✅Let’s sort out the criteria for choosing a kupat holim.
📍 1. *Location and accessibility*
First of all, check what’s near your home. In every city and neighborhood there’s a different distribution of clinics for each kupat holim. Think about proximity to your home and convenience of access.
🗣️ 2. *Service in your language*
Feel more comfortable explaining a medical problem in English (French, Russian…)? Check which doctors work in the clinics closest to your home. Doctors also made Aliyah themselves 🙂 and will be happy to help you here.
🩺 3. *Your specific medical needs*
Depending on your age and your health, perhaps the most important thing for you is an excellent pediatrician, a good gynecologist, an ophthalmologist or a skilled geriatrician. Talk to friends, neighbors – sometimes it’s worth traveling a little further to visit a specialist!
💡 4. *Comparing supplementary insurance*
Every kupat holim offers supplementary insurance. It’s not mandatory, but for a certain fee it provides better coverage for: surgeries, tests, dental treatments, medications, sports, and general health.
💻 *Tip:*
Use the helpful tool on the Ministry of Health’s website, where you can compare the supplementary insurance premiums and the services each kupat holim offers:
👉 https://call.gov.il/page/compare-page
⚠️ *Please note:*
Even supplementary insurance does not always cover particularly expensive treatments or medications for certain diseases (may we not need them!). Check with family members or an insurance advisor if additional private health insurance is needed.
🔄 5. *You’ve done a review and are considering switching to another kupat holim?*
It’s easy to do. An insured person can switch from one kupat holim to another up to twice within 12 months of registering with the previous kupat holim. The switch can be made on one of 6 fixed dates per year.
Submit the application, and the switch will take effect on the next fixed date.
👉 *The application can be submitted via the Bituach Leumi website:*
https://b2b.btl.gov.il/BTL.ILG.Payments/MaavarKupotCholimInfo.aspx
Or, make the switch at one of the Israel Post branches.
✨ In summary: Your kupat holim should suit you – its location, language, services, and your medical condition. You’re allowed to and it’s advisable to check, ask, and readjust as necessary.
🌟 *Wishing you good health – take good care of yourself!* 🧡
📱 *Was the information useful to you? Pass it on!*
To follow the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration channel: https://go.gov.il/wa-en