Insurance in Israel for post-HS student

amother

Thu, Dec 08 2022, 9:19 pm

DS20 just went to Israel after Sukkos to study in a yeshiva there. For some reason in all the chaos of packing, it never occurred to me to think about medical insurance, since he's B"H healthy with no major issues.

But he called today to say that he wasn't feeling well this week, but his roommates told him that our American insurance won't cover him overseas, and he needs to get local insurance. A few questions:

1) Is this correct?

2) Assuming it is, he mentioned that his roommates all signed up for Meuchedet. Is that the best way to go, or is there a better/cheaper option?

3) When I asked him about cost, he first said that it's $800 for 6 months. I said that sounds like a lot, and he then said 800 NIS for 6 months. Does anyone know the actual rate? And is there a way that I could sign him up directly online, or does he need to go in person to enroll at a Meuchedet office?

4) Anything else I should know about this topic?

Elfrida

Fri, Dec 09 2022, 3:58 am

If the current situation is urgent, he can go to Terem and pay privately.

Fir the long term, he does need to have insurance. All the kupot cholim have insurance options for chutzniks, which will give him access to full medical care as needed. If all his friends are Meuhedet, it probably makes the most sense for hum also to join Meuhedet. That way he'll be able to get advice about clinics and doctors.

He should go into the nearest clinic, and they'll be able to tell him what he needs to do. The one near the Mir deals with this all the time. The clinic on Chagai, in Geula is also very used to registering foreign students.

amother

Babypink

Fri, Dec 09 2022, 6:45 am

For next zman make travel insurance for the zman. I paid about $50 for the 5 month zman.
But I had the same issue the first zman and so he did a 6 month plan in one of the kupahs.
The downside of travel insurance is that you have to pay upfront and then get reimbursed

amother

Fri, Dec 09 2022, 2:11 pm

Thanks for the replies. He's in a small yeshiva that we felt would be best for him, but it's pretty disorganized and doesn't really have anyone who could help guide us on this issue.

If I want to enroll him in Meuchedet, is there a way I can do so over the phone with either the Chagai or Mir clinics, and if so, does anyone have their phone numbers? Or is it better if he goes in person? And does 800 NIS for 6 months sound right?

Babypink - The travel insurance option also sounds interesting. Why is it so much cheaper than Meuchedet? Does it have the same level of coverage? What plan did you get for $10 a month, and why couldn't you buy it the first zman?

amother

Babypink

Fri, Dec 09 2022, 3:19 pm

amother OP wrote:

I think 800 shekel sounds about right. When my son had to do it he went alone to the office and signed up.

Travel insurance doesn’t go by month it goes by trip.
It would be the same price for a 3 week trip.
I used Allianz travel insurance.

amother

NeonGreen

Sat, Dec 10 2022, 12:44 pm

amother OP wrote:

If I want to enroll him in Meuchedet, is there a way I can do so over the phone with either the Chagai or Mir clinics, and if so, does anyone have their phone numbers? Or is it better if he goes in person? And does 800 NIS for 6 months sound right?

Babypink - The travel insurance option also sounds interesting. Why is it so much cheaper than Meuchedet? Does it have the same level of coverage? What plan did you get for $10 a month, and why couldn't you buy it the first zman?

Why can't he deal with it himself? He's twenty, and it's a fairly simple process. I think he might need to take his passport, or some similar ID, so I doubt you can do it for him.

Check exactly what the travel insurance policy would cover. Kupat cholim will have him full medical insurance. Travel insurance probably covers limited emergency situations, and will only give him access to certain doctors. He can't get it now, because it has to be purchased before he leaves.

amother

Acacia

Tue, Dec 13 2022, 1:22 pm

My son is in yeshiva in Israel now. Meuchedet is the way to go - they have a lot of English speaking doctors and clinics all over the place. NIS 800 for 6 months sounds right.

He should go in person and take his passport. They will help him fill out the forms there.