How good is Israeli healthcare?

Learning to navigate the Israeli healthcare system definitely takes some time. Many Olim who had gotten used to their particular plan or system in the country they moved from are thrown into a new system and in a different language. The concerns of having to deal with such an important aspect of their lives in a foreign language can be daunting. But once Olim get used to the system, many wonder why it has not been copied by other countries.
The system is based Every citizen is required  to join one of the four “Kupat Holim”. (“sick funds”). The four Kupot Holim are obligated by law to offer a minimum package of health services and treatments, known as the “Health Basket” (Sal HaBriut ), to all their members. The law established a system of direct oversight of the Kupot Holim by the state, and certain services are under the direct administration of the State, usually by means of the Ministry of Health.
Below is a list of the four Kupot ranked by number of members:
  • Clalit
  • Maccabi
  • Meuhedet
  • Leumit.

In a 2013 survey of 48 countries, Israel’s health system was ranked fourth in the world in terms of efficiency, and in 2014 it ranked seventh out of 51. In 2020, Israel’s health system was ranked third most efficient in the world. In 2015, Israel was ranked sixth-healthiest country in the world by Bloomberg rankings and ranked eighth in terms of life expectancy. One of the ways of ranking the efficiency of healthcare systems is the share of GDP and per capita, as well as life expectancy. The USA spends a lot more money per capita on healthcare, but the US life expectancy is lower than in Israel and may other western countries.

In a recent ranking of life expectancy, which was based on United Nations Population Division estimates, Israel ranks as 12, while the USA comes in at 46, behind Cuba and Estonia. It is not just life expectancy, it is access to the latest in healthcare. While it is true that patients may need to wait for an MRI longer than in the USA, Israeli hospitals have improved to the point that in Newsweek’s 2022 listing of the world’s best hospitals, Sheba Hospital is ranked in 10th place out of 250 hospitals from around the world.

Israeli healthcare is recognized by foreigners and it has become a destination for medical tourists. The Medical Touriskm Index ranks Israel as number eight out of 46 destinations. Thousands of medical tourists come to Israel every year.