“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
The right to health is a fundamental right. Under the provisions of the National Health Insurance Law, enacted in 1994, every Israeli resident is entitled to health services in accordance with the principles of justice, equality, and mutual support. However, given its shortcomings over the last decade, the Israeli health system is far from being able to adhere to these principles. On the contrary – we are witnessing increasing inequality in access to health services. Insufficient funding of the public health system, coupled with privatization of health services, have led to deterioration in the scale and quality of services provided by the health system – the only system accessible to weak populations and even a good portion of the middle-class. Decreased funding for the public health system (in 2004 Israel was among the industrialized countries with the lowest national spending on health) presents a hardship for needy citizens who require medication and medical services, and it requires that all insured persons (who can afford to do so) contribute toward the cost of their medical care. The result is two health systems that differ substantially in quality – one for the wealthy and one for the poor.
ACRI recently launched an interdepartmental project designed to ensure the right to health for all members of Israeli society.
Recent ACRI updates on the Right to Health:
Knesset Approves Non-Profit Health Fund for Dental Care, July 2010
New Child Dental Care Program Launched, July 2010
ACRI Welcomes Approval of Child Dental Reform, June 2010
State Committee Accepts ACRI’s Proposals for Fairer Health Budget Allocations, February 2010
New MRI Tender Favors Hospitals in Periphery, August 2009
New Health Ministry Plan to Provide Dental Care for Children, Elderly, July 2009
Palestinian Partners, Children of Israelis to be Provided Healthcare, July 2009
Health Ministry Triples Budget for Schoolchildren’s Dental Treatment, June 2009
Bill Promoting Automatic Updates to Universal Health Basket Passes in First Reading, June 2008
Equality and Health within the Economic Arrangement Bill 2009-2010, May 2009
Promoting Universal Dental Care for Children, March 2008
Intervention on the Right to Information for the Mentally Ill, March, 2009
