Pregnancy in Israel: what insurance for expectant parents?

In Israel, pregnancy monitoring, prenatal tests and childbirth are largely covered by the koupat holim (health fund), under the basic basket of services. But some comforts and services around the birth remain at the parents' expense, which is a good reason to think early about supplementary cover.

What the koupat holim covers during pregnancy

Every woman resident who is a member of one of the four health funds benefits from structured pregnancy monitoring: consultations with a gynaecologist or a midwife, ultrasounds and blood tests on a set schedule, as well as the usual screenings. The birth itself, including the epidural and basic postnatal care for the mother and the newborn, is covered by the basic basket of services, whichever public hospital is chosen.

This is an important difference from other health systems, where maternity coverage varies more depending on insurance status. In Israel, maternity is among the best-covered care in the public system.

What remains optional or at the parents' expense

Several items linked to pregnancy and childbirth are not systematically covered by the basic basket, or only partially: hospital comfort (a private room, a specific choice of medical team), support from a doula, certain birth preparation methods (hypnosis, water-based preparation), and a stay in a post-birth recovery home (melonot leida), the cost of which may be partly covered, fully covered or not covered at all depending on your supplementary health plan.

For French speakers discovering the system, the vocabulary itself can be an added difficulty, between koupat holim, sal briout (the basket of services) and bituah mashlim (supplementary insurance), at the very moment when attention is focused on the pregnancy. To find a French-speaking gynaecologist or midwife, our directory of French-speaking practitioners in Israel can help you start your follow-up with confidence.

Choosing the hospital and what it changes

In Israel, all women who are members of a koupat holim can give birth in the public hospital of their choice, with no extra cost linked to the fund itself: maternity is part of the basket of services shared by the four funds. The difference lies mainly in comfort and organisation: shared or private room, availability of continuous support from the same midwife, or the possibility of booking a specific practitioner in advance for the birth. These comfort items, where they exist, are generally offered by the hospitals themselves or by private services, and may be partly covered by a suitable supplementary health plan.

Supplementary health plans designed for maternity

The supplementary health plans (bituah mashlim) offered by the koupot holim often include a maternity component, separate from the basic basket. Depending on the plan and the fund chosen, this component can give access to a contribution towards the cost of a stay in a post-birth recovery home, a lump sum linked to the birth, or better hospital comfort. Meuhedet states, for example, that its Shaban supplementary plan includes benefits linked to pregnancy and the post-birth period, with an enhanced level of benefits in its most comprehensive plan. The exact amounts and conditions vary by plan and change regularly: they should be checked directly with your fund or your broker when you take out the plan.

Alongside health cover proper, there are also benefits managed by Bituah Leumi (the National Insurance Institute), separate from the koupot holim: for example, an allowance may be paid to a pregnant woman who has to stop working for at least thirty consecutive days for a medical reason linked to the pregnancy. These benefits come under a different scheme from health insurance, with their own conditions, detailed on the Bituah Leumi website.

Why plan ahead, before the pregnancy or right at the start

Most supplementary plans impose a waiting period before certain benefits, notably those linked to maternity, are activated. Taking out a supplementary health plan before a pregnancy begins, or as early as possible once the pregnancy is known, is often the only way to access all the maternity benefits on offer. Waiting until the last trimester to change plan or take out a supplementary plan risks finding that some cover is not activated on the day of the birth.

For French-speaking

couples preparing to settle in Israel or considering a pregnancy shortly after their aliyah, it is therefore useful to look into health cover beforehand, rather than in a hurry.

Reviewing your situation with a professional

Every pregnancy and every family plan has its own cover needs. A few points are worth checking as soon as possible, ideally before the pregnancy or at the very start of it:

A broker who knows the specifics of Israeli health plans can help you compare the options available depending on your koupat holim and your personal situation. Contact us to discuss it before you announce your pregnancy, or as soon as possible if it is already under way.

For an overview of the health system in Israel beyond maternity, our article on health insurance in Israel presents the main principles of public and supplementary cover.