After its exposure of waiting times for operation in the public hospitals, the Ministry of Health is taking another step to increase information transparency for individuals. The Ministry today launched a special site called "Kol Habriut" (All about Health), which provides a large amount of information about the various technologies and treatments included in the state health basket, including a system that compares the health funds' supplementary insurance plans. The advertising campaign for the site will be launched today on the commercial television stations.
For example, if you click on the pregnancy and birth section of the website, and then on the tab for genetic testing, you get a long list of treatments to which those insured are entitled under the various types of insurance: the state insurance to which every citizen is entitled, and all the health funds' supplementary insurance plans.
Minister of Health Yael German consistently asserts that the absence of transparency and awareness of the various services provided in the state health basket, as well as the differences between the various insurance plans, is a major reason why the proportion of people in Israel with private health insurance is the second highest in the Western world. German believes that increasing transparency, combined with health insurance reform according to the conclusions of the committee she headed (the German Committee), will increase public awareness, reduce dependence on private health insurance, and lower monthly payments.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 21, 2014
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