What kind of reimbursement am I eligible for?
If you are a foreign citizen and have been accepted as a member of Bituach Leumi, you may be entitled to reimbursement from Bituach Leumi for expenses incurred during your waiting period (this is generally up to one year prior to registration, depending on how long you have held residency in Israel). Keep all your receipts of medical expenses incurred during this time.
During the waiting period between getting your visa and being eligible for Bituach Leumi, you are not insured. If you have a private insurance plan in your country of origin, it is advisable to keep it for those months. You may choose to sign up for kupat cholim and pay privately for the time being. However, kupot cholim are not complete insurance plans; they cover only certain medical services. Any hospitalization or emergency room care that is pregnancy-related is not covered by kupat cholim without Bituach Leumi. Ask your kupat cholim which hospital services they do cover for uninsured members. Bituach Leumi will reimburse you for basic kupat cholim premiums that were paid for the head of the family during the waiting period. Supplementary insurance fees, such as Meuhedet Adif or Maccabi Sheli, are not included. They will also reimburse certain medical expenses that were incurred during that time.
Refund of Kupat Cholim payments
Refund of kupat cholim payments is processed by a separate office under the auspices of Bituach Leumi.
You will need the following:
- A letter that explains that you have been recognized as a Bituach Leumi member retroactively and are now eligible for reimbursement for kupat cholim payments. Include your name, address, Bituach Leumi number beginning with 77, and your bank account information. A sample letter is available here.
- Receipts of your kupat cholim payments. (Make a copy of the receipts for your records.)
- Proof of your bank account, such as a void check, a bank statement, or a letter from your bank titled ishur nihul cheshbon.
All of the above should be sent by mail to:
ביטוח לאומי
שדרות ויצמן 13, ירושלים 9543707
Please note: It can take as long as six months to receive the refund.
Refunds of Select Medical expenses
Refunds of select medical expenses are processed through the Ministry of Health. Applications for refunds of medical expenses may be submitted online using the electronic tool on the gov.il website. Alternatively, you may print and fill out the form by hand, then submit with the required attachments by mail or by fax.
Be aware that claims generally take about one year to be processed and reimbursed, due to the fact that several offices are involved in making the decision for each case.
If more than one family member incurred expenses that need reimbursement, a separate form should be submitted for each. For more information on the process, visit the gov.il website.
You will need:
- A letter that includes your personal information (name, passport number, Bituach Leumi number, contact number) and your request in detail.
- All possible supporting documents, including hospital receipts and official lists of exactly which medical services were provided.
- A copy of your Bituach Leumi acceptance letter that explicitly states that you are recognized as a Toshav Yisrael from a certain date. This should be uploaded on the final page of the form, where there is an option to add an extra document to your package.
Once you submit your completed form, you will receive an email confirmation that your application was received.
Keep the original documents in a safe place for future reference.
For follow-up inquiries regarding your claim:
Phone: *5400 ext. 5
Email: kvilot@moh.health.gov.il
Fax: 02-5655981