Seminary health insurance

amother

Sun, May 12 2024, 9:20 am

My daughter is going to seminary next year and the seminary sent out a flyer to sign up for health insurance for close to $1000. Is this the norm or is there another option that isn't concierge medicine and just basic emergency coverage?

amother

Viola

Sun, May 12 2024, 6:25 pm

Check with your current insurance to see what they cover. When I went to seminary, I just got a basic emergency plan in Israel because my American insurance plan covered almost everything else.

Now that I'm living in Israel and DH is a student, I don't understand why the seminary girls can't get student visas and regular Israeli insurance, like Meuhedet? That's what the boys in the Mir and most yeshivas do.
For some reason, the seminaries push the girls to get private insurance. I'm guessing it makes things easier for the seminary to have a private company helping their girls.

amother

Gladiolus

Sun, May 12 2024, 6:41 pm

My daughter’s seminary is making them sign up for maccabi. It’s in the $600-$700 range. If they need medicine it’s really cheap. Can you see if the seminary has a deal with a kupah?

amother

Jasmine

Sun, May 12 2024, 6:50 pm

As someone who has sent several children to israel, it is much easier to get the AIM plan (I'm assuming that's what your daughter's seminary is asking you to get because many seminaries and yeshivos use that). They usually send a doctor to the seminary or yeshiva once or twice a week so that your child does not have to travel to visit a doctor's office. Also, everything is in english with english speaking doctors. On the other hand, Israeli health insurance like maccabi or meuhedet is much cheaper, but then your child has to travel to go to their clinic to be seen. Not cool if they're not feeling well already. Also, making appointments and doing almost anything is all in hebrew and difficult to schedule and understand. My son had to get blood work done in Israel and needed to schedule an ultrasound. They wanted to schedule him for months later. When he came back to the States we were able to schedule it for within a week. The AIM coverage is more but in some ways it's worth the extra cost...

amother

DarkMagenta

Sun, May 12 2024, 8:13 pm

You can do it on your own through Macabi or Meuchedet and it will be cheaper but it's really a hassle - if the seminary allow. I did for my daughter when she stayed on a 2nd year as a Madricha. But for now I'd recommend you go along with the sem's plan it's worth the extra $$ and it's a tiny drop in the bucket.