Mental health in Israel: what is reimbursed for a therapist?

In Israel, psychological or psychiatric follow-up generally goes through your koupat holim (health fund), which has organised access to mental health care since it took on that responsibility, and a patient contribution remains payable for each session. Supplementary insurance can then widen access to practitioners outside the fund's network, notably francophone ones.

Since 2015, mental health has been the responsibility of the koupot holim

Before July 2015, outpatient psychiatric care in Israel was organised directly by the Ministry of Health. Since 1 July 2015, this responsibility has been transferred to the four health funds, which must now organise and provide this care within the basic health basket. In practice, this means that access to a psychologist or psychiatrist goes, in most cases, through your koupat holim rather than through an independent public body.

How to access follow-up through the koupat holim

The process generally starts with a consultation with the family doctor (rofe mishpaha) or directly with your fund's mental health centre. If psychotherapy follow-up is judged necessary, a referral (hafnaya) is issued to see a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker within a body approved by the fund. The koupot holim mental health clinics generally bring together a multidisciplinary team: psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and social workers.

A financial contribution remains payable by the patient for each psychotherapy session carried out by a contracted independent psychologist, according to a scale set nationally and applied in the same way by the four funds. The exact amount changes over time: it is better to check it directly with your koupat holim, or with a broker, when you need it, rather than rely on a figure that may have changed since.

A particular context for newcomers

For many francophone olim and expatriates, the first years in Israel come with a pile-up of changes: a new language, new administrative landmarks, distance from family and friends, sometimes a new working life to rebuild. This context of adjustment, without being a disorder in itself, leads a number of people to consult a mental health professional in the months after settling in, if only to be supported through this transition. This obviously does not replace a diagnosis or medical opinion, which remains the exclusive responsibility of a qualified professional.

The question of language: a real issue for francophones

For many francophones, the difficulty is not only financial: finding a psychologist or psychiatrist who really speaks French, and not just a few words of English or approximate Hebrew, can be decisive in mental health follow-up. Effective psychological support requires being able to express precisely what you feel, which makes the language barrier particularly sensitive in mental health. The lists of practitioners contracted by the koupot holim do not always mention the language spoken, which leads some patients to look outside the network.

Our directory of francophone practitioners in Israel lets you search for French-speaking psychologists and psychiatrists, whether you consult within your koupat holim or outside it.

What supplementary insurance can offer

Outside the network contracted by the koupat holim, consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist in private practice, notably a francophone one, is generally done at the practitioner's rate, with no direct link to the national scale. Some supplementary health plans (bituah mashlim) or private insurance policies provide partial coverage of a set number of sessions per year with out-of-network practitioners, in the form of reimbursement or a flat amount. Meuhedet, for example, mentions "emotional therapies" in its most comprehensive supplementary plan. The precise conditions (number of sessions, reimbursement ceiling, eligible practitioners) vary greatly from one plan to another and must be checked before making a choice. For a francophone who puts the quality of the therapeutic relationship and precision of language first, this type of supplementary plan can make a real difference, provided you clearly understand what is actually covered.

It is important to remember that mental health support, like any therapeutic follow-up, must be adapted to your personal situation by a qualified professional: this article replaces neither a medical opinion nor a consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist.

The practical steps to consult

In practice, here are the most common steps to access mental health follow-up through your koupat holim:

Getting support with your choice of cover

Understanding exactly what your koupat holim covers, what your supplementary plan offers, and to what extent private insurance can complement access to a francophone practitioner, often requires personalised support. Contact us to take stock of your situation and your mental health needs, in complete confidentiality.

To better understand the health system in Israel as a whole, including the main principles of public and supplementary cover, read our article on health insurance in Israel .