Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman has achieved a historic reform in Israel's National Health Insurance Law (5754-1994), after a long struggle that included a petition to the High Court of Justice and a reprimand from the judges on the flawed legal process. The Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee today approved the inclusion of dental care as part of the basket of healthcare services for the first time. The amendment will initially apply, as of July 1, to dental care for children up to the age of 8. There will be no need to pay supplementary health insurance.
Last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blocked Litzman's initiative by deciding that dental insurance should also apply to private dentists, who would provide care through the basket of healthcare services. Netanyahu's decision threatened to delay the reform, but the Labor Committee today adopted Litzman's compromise. Dental care will be provided through the health funds immediately, while legislation will be formulated to allow private dentists to organize through a designated dental health fund, which will provide dentistry services.
The Labor Committee went a long way toward the private dentists' position, by setting a clear timetable. Litzman's reform will come into effect through a directive by the end of November, by which time the Knesset will complete legislation for establishing the dental healthcare fund. If the legislation is not completed, the Labor Committee may extend the directive.
Sources believe that the dental healthcare fund legislation may ultimately fail in the teeth of fierce opposition by several parties. They include the current healthcare funds, which oppose the establishment of a rival which will operate on a for-profit basis, the dream of the Ministry of Finance for a decade.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 7, 2010
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