70% of Israelis pay for supplementary health insurance

More than 70% of Israelis have supplementary health insurance policies offered by the country's four healthcare funds. 20-30% of Israelis also have private health insurance policies offered by insurance companies.

Health insurance covers a range of medical expenses including surgery, implants, drugs, hospitalization, and nursing. The health funds' supplementary health insurance policies cover treatments and drugs that are not part of the basket of healthcare services.

Some supplementary health insurance policies carry a fixed premium, while others have a variable age-based premium. Health insurance policies are long-term policies, whose prices rise with age. A big jump in prices, to hundreds of shekels per month for policyholders, tends to hit when policyholders reach their thirties.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 18, 2009