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Jun 4, 2013
a law that might bring a boost to aliyah
Anything that makes it easier for potential olim to get over their fears and concerns and finalize the decision to move to Israel is a good thing.
MK Dov Lipman (Yesh Atid) has proposed a new law that is expected to do just that - help olim get over a serious concern and make the decision to move to Israel.
Lipman proposed a law, supported by all the parties in Knesset, by which Israelis who would be returning to Israel with their families who would be making aliyah would not have to wait for health care coverage, but would get it immediately.
Right now the situation is very difficult for returning Israelis. They want to "come home" but they know that when they get back to Israel they will have to wait 6 months before the health care coverage kicks in. This happens because Bituach Leumi wants to make sure that these people are here to stay rather than just here for a long visit before kicking in and making changes to the health coverage policies.
The new law would give these returning Israelis health care coverage immediately. This, if it will pass, knocks out one big hurdle for people considering aliyah - the families that include a returning Israeli.
Actually there is another problem that is not dealt with by this proposal, but perhaps should be dealt with as well. When Israelis leave Israel they think they are leaving things behind and when they eventually return they will be able to start over. They do not realize that Bituach Leumi is continuing to charge the fees for health coverage. These fees may not be a lot on a month to month basis, but when they compound over years of non-payment, with interest added, it can become a pretty big bill.
It is not uncommon for an Israeli to return to Israel, after say ten, twenty or thirty years abroad, only to be slapped with an unexpected Bituach Leumi bill to the tune of tens of thousands of shekels. Some realize in advance and negotiate it down a bit, but the issue is an impediment to such Israelis returning to Israel.
If an Israeli is abroad for an extended period of time, perhaps his Bituach Leumi account should be frozen, since anyway he is not receiving services from them during this period. Or maybe not because potentially he could return for treatment and care should something happen to him abroad. However, whether freezing his coverage is the right move or not, Bituach Leumi should have to inform the person of his bill that is growing at some point and not just after many years compounded. It might not be easy, as not everyone leaves a forwarding address, but something needs to be figured out.
Anyway, MK Lipman's bill would give Israelis returning with a non-Israeli spouse immediate health care.
(source: Jpost)
Now let's see the aliyah numbers bump up a bit more!
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While the intentions seem pure, there appear to be some inherent downsides.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, the law, as it currently stands, protects the healthcare system from paying for treatments of non-residents. The proposed bill takes away this protection, which will almost certainly cost the country money.
Secondly, by making it easier for Israelis to return, it also makes it easier for them to leave. If an Israeli family living abroad takes into account that they won't have healthcare coverage upon their return, it's reasonable to assume that a family considering leaving will take into account that the move abroad will make it more difficult to return. Lipman's proposed bill will remove this impediment, and may actually cause more Israelis to leave Israel than will return as a result.
you think an Israeli considering leaving really takes into account whether or not he/she might or might not have health care 20 years down the road?
ReplyDeletethere are Israelis who go abroad for studies or work for a couple of years intending to go back. I dont think thats what this is talking about. Toshav chozeir is Israelis who left Israel for good and eventually decided to come back. I dont think they consider this issue so far in advance when leaving.
This makes good sense and would be helpful to many Israelis wanting to return home.
ReplyDeleteSo naturally it will never happen.
The rule requiring the six-month waiting period is fairly recent - definitely within the last ten years. This is but another example of a policy being put in place after only a half-baked analysis, only to be changed after it starts to have negative results that should have been foreseen from the start.
ReplyDeleteSorry, what kind of ridiculous idea is this???
ReplyDeleteThe reason for a waiting period is so that non-residents do not take advantage of a quick return to the old country for cheap medical care they cannot get overseas. Most healthy people are not affected, but for those ex-pats with no conscious will gladly move back for a quickie surgery or treatment if they do not have to wait for six long months.