Medical Treatment in Israel for Foreigners: Prices, Hospitals, Insurance

Israel accepts foreign patients at both public and private medical facilities. If you’re planning a medical trip, you’ll need to understand how the local healthcare system works, how much services cost, and what documents you’ll need upon arrival.

We’ll cover the structure of Israel’s healthcare system, official rates, leading hospitals, health insurance, and emergency care in this article.

Looking for a hassle-free way to plan your medical treatment in Israel?

Visit World’s medical guide brings together the key steps of preparation in one place: choosing a clinic, gathering documents, and organizing your stay.

Israel’s Healthcare System: How Does It Work?

Medical care in Israel is provided by four health maintenance organizations (HMOs): Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet, and Leumit. The National Health Insurance Law guarantees every Israeli citizen the right to medical care, and the set of basic services is the same for all HMOs. The health funds act as service providers, and the system as a whole is overseen by the Ministry of Health.

The system is funded from several sources. These include progressive health insurance premiums paid by every resident, a health tax paid by employers, funds from the National Insurance Institute, the Ministry of Health’s budget, and copayments from patients themselves.

Public and Private Healthcare in Israel

Israel has public, community, and private medical facilities. Public and community general hospitals have emergency departments, and in urgent cases, you can go to the emergency room at any general hospital without restriction. A private hospital, as defined in travel insurance policies, is a facility authorized by the Ministry of Health to perform procedures on a private basis.

For foreign patients, treatment is fee-based in both sectors. Large public medical centers have separate departments dedicated to serving foreigners. For example, the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center provides foreign patients with consultations, diagnostics, and treatment across various specialties, on an outpatient or inpatient basis, for both adults and children.

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Prices for Medical Treatment in Israel in 2026

The Israeli Ministry of Health’s fee schedule serves as the official guideline for the cost of medical services. It includes outpatient rates, prices for individual procedures, and rates for various types of hospitalization. Effective April 1, 2026, rates for inpatient care, day hospitalization, outpatient services, and emergency departments at general hospitals increased by 1.33%.

Examples of official rates effective April 1, 2026:

• one day of hospitalization with medications from a specified list for an adult—1,999 shekels;
• one day of hospitalization with medications from a specified list for a child—2,596 shekels;
• inpatient chemotherapy as a surcharge on the cost of one day of hospitalization—4,225 shekels.

The final cost of treatment for a foreign patient is determined by the hospital after reviewing the medical records. At the Tel Aviv Suraski Medical Center, after contacting the medical tourism department, the patient receives information about possible treatment options, the estimated length of stay in Israel, and the expected cost.

Countries with the best healthcare systems in 2026 — listed at the link.

Israel’s Leading Hospitals for International Patients

Israel’s major medical centers are concentrated in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Jerusalem, Haifa, Petah Tikva, and
Beer-Sheva. The Tel Aviv Municipality describes the Sheba Medical Center as the largest and most multidisciplinary medical facility in Israel and the Middle East. Foreign patients are also treated at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov), which has a dedicated medical tourism department.

The National Insurance Institute’s official list of hospitals includes, among others, Hadassah Ein Kerem and Shaare Zedek in Jerusalem, Rambam in Haifa, Rabin Beilinson in Petah Tikva, Soroka in Beersheba, Wolfson in Holon, and Meir in Kfar Saba. At the Suraski Medical Center, foreign patients are assisted by multilingual representatives of the medical tourism department, who also provide information regarding entry visas. The department can be contacted at [email protected].

Medical Tourism in Israel: What Does the Law Say?

Brokerage activities in the field of medical tourism in Israel are regulated by the 2018 law. Agents who coordinate treatment for foreign nationals are required to register in the Medical Tourism Agents Registry in accordance with the 2018 Medical Tourism Law. Employees of medical tourism corporations must submit separate individual applications for registration, in addition to the corporation’s application.

The law imposes specific requirements on agents. In particular, an applicant cannot be an employee of a medical facility in Israel, and registration can be renewed for the next four years. Before entering into a contract with an intermediary, it is advisable to verify their presence in the Ministry of Health’s registry.

See also: Top Countries with the Best Healthcare in the World in 2026. Rankings, Treatment Costs, and Conditions for Foreigners.

How Can a Foreigner Arrange Treatment in Israel?

Treatment in Israel can be arranged directly through a hospital’s medical tourism department or through an agent listed in the state registry. The hospital reviews the patient’s medical records, proposes treatment options, and provides an estimated cost. Next, the patient obtains an entry permit, arranges medical insurance, and plans the trip based on the duration of treatment.

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Contact the medical tourism department of your chosen hospital or a registered agent.
2. Obtain information from the hospital regarding treatment options, length of stay, and estimated cost.
3. Apply for an ETA-IL or a medical visa, depending on your citizenship.
4. Obtain medical insurance covering the entire duration of your stay in Israel.
5. Coordinate arrival dates and payment terms with the hospital.

Documents Required for Medical Treatment in Israel and Entry for Ukrainians

As of August 1, 2024, foreign nationals cannot enter Israel without an approved ETA-IL or a valid visa. The permit is valid for up to two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and costs 25 shekels. Applications are submitted on the website israel-entry.piba.gov.il. This procedure applies to all countries that have a visa-free regime with Israel, including citizens of the United States, Australia, and Japan.

Israeli authorities recommend submitting the application at least 72 hours before travel, before purchasing tickets or booking accommodations; processing takes 24 to 72 hours. Citizens of countries subject to visa requirements for short-term medical treatment are issued a B/2 visa. This requires an official letter from an Israeli hospital containing a full diagnosis and description of the treatment, signed and stamped by hospital management, including the contact information of the person in charge, as well as proof of payment for the treatment. General requirements for this visa include a passport valid for at least three months after the visa’s expiration date, a bank statement covering at least three months, and medical insurance for the entire duration of the stay.

Detailed guides for those planning to travel abroad for medical tourism:

– Medicine and Healthcare in Japan.
– Healthcare in the United Kingdom.
– Medical Treatment in Germany 2026.
– Medical Visa in Dubai.
– Medical Tourism in Thailand 2026.

Health Insurance in Israel for Tourists and Expats

Israel’s national health insurance system operates through health maintenance organizations (HMOs), so tourists without local insurance must pay for medical services out of pocket or through a private policy. Official rules regarding emergency rooms stipulate that a person who arrives without a letter of guarantee from an HMO may be required to pay the full cost of treatment at the rate set by the Ministry of Health. Therefore, it’s advisable to purchase an insurance policy before your trip.

Israeli insurance companies offer separate health insurance policies for tourists in Israel that cover emergency room visits and hospitalization. It’s more convenient to arrange coverage while still at home: travel medical insurance from Visit World can be purchased online before departure so that you have your policy in hand from your first day in Israel. Expats who have obtained resident status are enrolled in the public health insurance system and choose one of four health funds.

Emergency Medical Care in Israel: Where to Go?

In the event of a life-threatening emergency in Israel, call 101 to reach Magen David Adom. This is the country’s official emergency medical services number. Calls are answered by medically trained dispatchers—emergency medical technicians or paramedics—who gather important information and simultaneously provide instructions on what to do until the emergency team arrives.

Treatment in the emergency room is not free: it includes a consultation fee and the cost of the treatment itself, and you may be charged a partial or full fee for ambulance transportation. You can get general information from the Ministry of Health by calling *5400.

Visit World Medical Guide: How to Plan Your Trip?

Traveling to Israel for medical treatment involves choosing a clinic, applying for an ETA-IL, securing insurance, and planning your stay. The medical guide from the Visit World portal brings all these steps together in one place: it helps you prepare for your hospital visit, sort out the paperwork, and take important details into account before you even leave.

Get your Visit World Medical Guide in advance to plan your treatment in Israel without any unnecessary delays!

Reminder! In our previous article, we discussed how to prepare for an interview with the Israeli consul.

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