Health Insurance in Israel

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   In brief

   • The medical services every resident is entitled to (the health basket) are set in law and updated from time to time. The basket is uniform — your entitlement does not depend on which health fund (kupat holim) you belong to.
   • Health funds are legally responsible for providing the services. The law requires health funds to accept any person who applies to join, regardless of their financial situation, age, gender, health status, or similar factors.
   • Medical services are provided in Israel subject to medical discretion, at reasonable quality, within a reasonable time, and at a reasonable distance from your home.
   • In general, basket services are provided free of charge, but health funds are permitted to charge co-payments for some services.
   • Every resident must pay health insurance contributions (dmei bituach briut) according to their income level, unless they are entitled to an exemption from payment.
2. 2

   Who is eligible?

   All Israeli residents are entitled to health insurance.

   • Israeli resident staying abroad: You may continue to be entitled to health insurance, provided your stay abroad is temporary.
   • Returning Resident (Toshav Chozer) who fell behind on National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) payments while abroad will be entitled to health services in Israel only after a waiting period. See: Joining health insurance as a Returning Resident.
   • Those who do not meet the definition of an Israeli resident may have a special health insurance arrangement:
     • Health insurance under family reunification
     • Health fund registration for asylum seekers and those without status
3. 3

   How to exercise the right

   • The right is granted automatically to all permanent residents of Israel through the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi).
   • Olim will be asked to register with a health fund in order to receive the entitlement — see the Olim section below.
   • Returning Residents, or those who ceased to be Israeli residents, will need to wait a certain period before they are again entitled to health insurance — see the relevant section below.
   • Health insurance contributions are collected by Bituach Leumi.
   • Medical services are provided to each insured person by the health fund they chose to join (certain services are provided by the Ministry of Health).
4. 4

   Olim

   Olim are asked to register with a health fund of their choice.

   • You can register with a health fund at the absorption advisors at the airport when you arrive in Israel, or at a later date at post office branches (registration at post office branches involves a nominal fee).
   • If you do not register at the airport or at a post office branch, you can register via the Bituach Leumi website — but only after 3 weeks from your date of arrival. It is advisable to print your registration confirmation in order to submit it when getting your magnetic card at the health fund.
   • Olim who did not register within 90 days of their Aliyah date can only register at the Bituach Leumi branch in their area of residence.
   • Those who entered Israel as tourists and changed their status to Oleh at the Population and Immigration Authority can register with a health fund when they receive their Oleh certificate at the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (Misrad HaKlita), provided that 90 days have not passed since their date of arrival.
   • After registering, you must go to a branch of the health fund you registered with, with a copy of your registration form, in order to receive your magnetic card.
   • From the date of receiving the card, you are considered insured by the health fund and are entitled to all services under health insurance.
   • Important: You will not be considered insured by the health fund until you have approached it after registration and received your magnetic card.

   Olim who have no income or whose income is less than ₪688 per month (as of 2026) are entitled to an exemption from payment of health insurance contributions for half a year from the day they received their Oleh status.

   Olim who are not working and are receiving subsistence payments from Misrad HaKlita may continue to be entitled to the exemption in the second half of their first year in Israel. To receive the exemption in the second half of the first year, contact Bituach Leumi.

5. 5

   Soldiers

   • A soldier on compulsory or regular (career) service receives medical services from the IDF, not through health funds. Career soldiers have health insurance contributions deducted from their pay.
   • A soldier who is a volunteer for compulsory service (for example, for health reasons) receives the basket of health services from the health fund they belong to, in exchange for paying insurance contributions. Depending on the medical disability clauses assigned to them, they may also be entitled to payment of medical fees from the IDF.
   • A soldier who has temporarily ceased service is entitled to the basket of health services mentioned in the law from their health fund, and is obligated to pay insurance contributions.
   • A reserve soldier may receive medical services from both the IDF and from their health fund during reserve service.
6. 6

   Children

   • Every child, from the day they are born, is automatically assigned to the health fund in which the parent who receives the child allowance (kitzbat yeladim) for them is insured.
   • If the child's parents are insured in different health funds and wish to transfer the child to the other parent's fund, both parents must go to a post office branch, fill in a transfer form, and both sign it.
   • The first transfer of a child under 6 months old from one health fund to another is immediate — that is, with no waiting period.
7. 7

   Children of Returning Residents

   • Children of Returning Residents (Toshavim Chozrim) up to age 18 are entitled to receive health services, provided their parents were recognised as Israeli residents after returning to Israel — even if the parents are temporarily not entitled to medical services and are in a waiting period.
   • Any expense incurred from purchasing a medical service for these children will be reimbursed to the parents, provided that an application was made to Bituach Leumi for residency status before the paid medical service was received.
   • If the expense was incurred before applying to Bituach Leumi, the money will not be reimbursed.
8. 8

   Israeli resident who has stayed or is staying abroad

   • As long as a person who is considered an Israeli resident by Bituach Leumi pays health insurance contributions, they are entitled to health services in Israel under the National Health Insurance Law.
   • Returning Residents who did not pay insurance or ceased to be Israeli residents will be entitled to health services in Israel only after a waiting period that includes continuous residence in Israel (trips abroad during the waiting period extend it). The minimum waiting period is 2 months and the maximum is 6 months. You can buy out the period with a payment. See: Joining health insurance as a Returning Resident.
9. 9

   Good to know

   Health funds offer additional health services (sha'ban) beyond those included in the basic health basket, for a fee. For more information see supplementary insurance.

10. 10

    Helping organisations

    Government hotlines:

    • Kol HaBriut (Ministry of Health): *5400 — online enquiry
    • Bituach Leumi: *6050
    • Yad Mechavenet (Bituach Leumi): *2496
    • Sha"l (citizen advice service): 118
    • Central Government Response: 1299 — online enquiry

    Aid organisations:

    • List of aid organisations in the health field

    Government bodies:

    • Ministry of Health — Kol HaBriut — telephone service: *5400
    • Public Complaints Commissioner for the National Health Insurance Law
11. 11

    Legislation and procedures

    • National Health Insurance Law — sections 3, 58, 55
    • National Insurance Law — section 378
    • National Health Insurance Regulations (Registration with a health fund, rights and obligations of holders of a residence permit under the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law (Temporary Order), 5782-2022), 5776-2016
    • IDF General Staff Order 61.0104 — medical treatment of a soldier
12. 12

    Forms and downloads

    • Registration of Olim with health funds (Ministry of Aliyah and Integration website)

    Registration of Olim with health funds (PDF)