Know your rights -

Pregnancy and Birth

Information document on Health Rights of Non-resident women
during pregnancy time.

Medical care for pregnant women who own medical insurance

Non-resident women who are residing in Israel and own private medical insurance for more than 9
months, are entitled to have a full coverage of all costs of medical care during their pregnancy. If
they get pregnant before residing in Israel for 9 months, the insurance will start to cover care only
after nine months of residency.

If you are pregnant, and the insurance company refuses to cover your necessary pregnancy medical
checkups - you should contact us for help at 03-5133104 (Renana)

Medical care for pregnant women who DO NOT have medical insurance

"Tipat Chalav" stations provide Prenatal, Postnatal, and Infant Development Centers for
every woman and child: "Tipat-Chalav" stations are located all over Israel, and are operated by
the Ministry of Health. The stations provide services to any woman for a fee of 180 Shekels (fee is
for 6 months). The Tipat- Chalav stations provide prenatal care, vaccination and monitoring of the
child’s development. We recommend that all pregnant women, regardless of their status, register
for "Tipat Chalav" services.
"Tipat-Chalav" stations usually recommend a list of medical tests required during pregnancy.
• If you have medical insurance - these tests should be covered by your insurance.
• If you don't have medical insurance – these tests should be paid privately.

We recommend that you contact us at PHR open clinic for possible discounts.
 You have the right to give Birth in a Hospital
Every woman, whether she holds a health insurance or not, and regardless of her legal
status, is entitled to give birth in a Hospital. Giving birth is considered an emergency medical
situation and in that case every woman is entitled to arrive to the nearest emergency room and
receive medical treatment with no preconditions (valid documents, health insurance or other
payment can not be a condition for treatment).

In addition, if there are any complications during the pregnancy, you should immediately go to
Emergency Room. These cases are usually considered an emergency situation, and you will
receive treatment even if you don’t have money to cover the cost. (Later, you will be asked to pay
for the treatment.)

Who will cover the birth and hospitalization costs?

Every working woman is entitled to National Insurance Coverage, known in Hebrew as "Bituach-
Leumi". Bituach-Leumi covers every worker for working accidents and for birth and delivery
issues. Your employer should deduct 2% from your salary, each month, for the Bituach-Leumi tax.
At time of birth, Bituach-Leumi will cover the costs of the birth hospitalization.

If the father is an Israeli citizen, or if he is a migrant worker and has Bituach-Leumi, the mother is
entitled to all of the pregnancy benefits from Bituach-Leumi, even if she herself doesn't have
Bituch-Leumi.

The employer must pay Bituach-Leumi for the employee (whether or not she has a
visa) for a continuous period of at least six months until the delivery.

Remember!
1.It is recommended that the employer attach a brief letter for the employee, stating that the
Bituach-Leumi was covered, to take with her when she goes to the hospital to deliver.
2.
3.A woman who is covered by Bituach-Leumi should not pay the hospital for the cost of birth
hospitalization. She should refuse to pay when she is admitted to the hospital and she
should refuse to sign any document of financial obligation for delivery-related expenses.
Instead, she should take Bituach-Leumi payment forms from the hospital. Bituach Leumi will
transfer payment for hospitalization expenses directly to the hospital.

2
 Birth Certificate

• Every new-born baby is entitled to be registered and to receive a Birth Certificate

from the Hospital.
• The Birth Certificate should be given to the parents, regardless of their legal status
and regardless of any payment requirements. Even if you don't have the money to
pay for the delivery, your child is still entitled to receive a hospital Birth Certificate.
• Both parents have the right to be registered in the Birth Certificate.

Unwanted Pregnancies

• The private medical insurance for foreign women will only cover abortions done for
medical reasons. Abortions for other reasons will not be covered.
• Every abortion requires an approval of a committee, after which a date is set for the
abortion. PHR Open clinic can help you get a safe abortion, including going through
medical check-ups and committee procedures for a reasonable price. It is strongly
recommended that the abortion will be performed in a hospital by doctors, and not by any
other means. Illegal abortions can cause serious physical damage and might result in death.

Open Clinic services

At PHR’s Open Clinic we assist pregnant women who are not insured, by offering medical
checkups, arranging for required lab tests and offering consultation and information.
The clinic is located at Baruch Sapir St. 4, Jaffa. Phone: 03-5133120, 03-5133125.
Opening hours:
Sun, Tue, Wed: 16:00 – 19:00 general doctor
Mon: 16:00 – 19:00 – Women's Doctors and specialists. Please call to make an appointment in
advance.
Friday: 9:00-12:00 – Children's Doctor.