Supplementary health insurance policies continue to be popular, less so among poor

These facts were released by the Health Ministry for publication on Tuesday morning.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Israeli health funds logo (photo credit: Courtesy)
Israeli health funds logo
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The four public health funds’  supplementary insurance policies had an accumulated surplus in 2015 of NIS 71 million, or 1.7% of their income from membership fees. A total of 6.17 million Israelis were covered by them -- a rise of 2.5% compared to 2014.
 
Nearly three-quarters of Israeli families held the lower-level of supplementary health insurance policies and 35% purchased the more-expensive second tier of supplementary policies.
 
These facts were released by the Health Ministry for publication on Tuesday morning.
 
The policies brought to the health funds NIS 4.248 billion in 2015 compared to NIS 4.068 billion the previous year.
 
Only about a third of families of low income who receive special income allotments take out supplementary health insurance.    But two-thirds of those who receive disability payments from the National Insurance Institute have supplementary policies, apparently due to the concern that they will need to receive the benefits.
 
In the Arab sector, just 40% have the extra policies, an increase of 1% over the previous year.    
 
Most people with the policies use it to undergo operations and to choose a surgeon they prefer, as well as to get medications and vaccinations not included in the basic basket of health service. Younger women use them for getting additional tests and other services while pregnant.