Every israeli resident has Health Insurance – by law. Period. Tourists and ex-pats living in Israel on a visa have to get themselves organized. Take a look at the info we put together below and feel free to contact us with your specific questions. Israel Doctor is an independent network of doctors in Israel catering to the international community.
How do I get treatment in Israel if I’m not covered by Israeli insurance?
If you’re not registered with the israeli Health System, there’s excellent private doctors ready to treat you. Some of them accept payment by credit card, others only cash, the private clinics set up to serve tourists will also accept your insurance from abroad. Israel Doctor provides a selection of excellent doctors all over the country.
Can i see any doctor?
Any doctor on Israel Doctor, yes. Most of the clinics in the country are run by the big health insurance companies. These clinics don’t necessarily take private patients (meaning patients NOT insured with them). So if you’re not insured with one of the israeli insurance companies, you’re looking for a clinic or doctor that serves private patients. Israel Doctor provides a selection of highly recommended GPs and medical specialists all over the country.
Where can I get health insurance in Israel?
If you’re a resident and registered with Bituach Leumi you can (actually: you have to) choose one of the Israeli insurers (Hebrew: Kupat Cholim). The big ones who also own and run most clinics and hospitals are Maccabi, Clalit and Meuhedet.
If you’re NOT registered with Bituach Leumi (not a resident), there are private insurers, but we recommend to get an international insurance police (read this informative article about Why to get international insurance).
What is ‘Bituach Leumi'?
Bituach Leumi is the israeli national social security. If you’re not registered with Bituach Leumi, you can’t get regular Israeli health insurance. If you’re not a proper resident, you can’t register with Bituach Leumi.
There are private israeli insurances, but it’s a hassle to get it (see the question about getting private Israeli health insurance).
How to purchase over the counter medication?
To purchase medication can be a bit confusing: Some of the most common drugs have different names in every country. Feel free to get in touch with questions, for your convenience we compiled a list of the most asked for drugs >>
How to refill my drug prescription?
Prescriptions from abroad are not recognized by Israeli pharmacies. You will need to see a doctor to write a prescription refill. Find out more about this topic on our partner’s website: How To Buy Your Prescription Medication In Israel >>
Any more questions come up ..?
These are just the basic facts, we will be building this section as we go along. We are happy to provide information to the best of our knowing. Get in touch with us!