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Kupat holim for olim: choose, join, switch

Most new olim are signed up for a kupat holim (also spelled kupat cholim) at the airport. The real decisions come after: is it the right fund for your area, do you want supplemental cover, and do you need to switch. Two deadlines matter: 14 days and 90 days from your aliyah.

Based on Nefesh B'Nefesh guides. Reviewed 27 Oct 2026.

The dates that matter

14 days
Change your first choiceFrom your aliyah date, at the post office. After that, a switch takes effect only on fixed dates.
90 days
Join supplemental coverJoin a supplemental plan within 90 days of arrival and the waiting period is waived.
2 a year
Switch laterUp to twice in 12 months, online through Bituach Leumi or at the post office. It starts on the next change date.

Were you signed up at the airport?

Most olim on an aliyah flight are. Some are not.

Most olim

Aliyah flight

Registered at Ben Gurion with the fund you chose there. You can still change it within 14 days.

Not at the airport

Former A-1 residents, Oleh B'Sheinit

Healthcare registration comes with your Teudat Oleh at Misrad HaPnim. Book that appointment first.

Check first

Ezrach Oleh, Katin Chozer

You may be eligible for registration. Where you are, you get a healthcare registration form.

What every fund gives you

There are four funds: Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet and Leumit. The law sets the same basic basket for all of them.

  • Basic basket. Every fund must accept you, whatever your age or medical history.
  • Supplemental (Bituach Mashlim). Extra cover, such as more medicines, second opinions and some dental. Price depends on age, family size and plan.
  • Long-term care. A private policy sold by the funds. Unlike the basic and supplemental plans, it can take pre-existing conditions into account.
  • Children's dental. Under 18s get preventive dental care free in the basket, and other treatment with a copay, at the fund's clinics or clinics it works with.

So the choice is mostly about the clinics and doctors near you, and about the supplemental plans. The Ministry of Health has a comparison calculator, in Hebrew only.

Switching after the first 14 days

Each step shows who does it when you work with us.

  1. 1

    Pick the new fund

    We compare

    We list the funds with clinics near your address and what their supplemental plans cost for your family.

  2. 2

    Submit the switch

    We prepare itYou submit

    Online on the Bituach Leumi site (Hebrew only), or with a Tofes Maavar at the post office for a small fee. The online form asks you to declare that you are switching on your own, so you submit it yourself.

  3. 3

    Wait for the change date

    We track it

    The switch starts on the next change date. Until then, your old fund must keep treating you. You can cancel before the 20th of the month before the start date.

  4. 4

    Move your medical file

    We follow up

    Ask your old fund to send your Tik Refui to the new one, and check that it arrived. Then join the new fund's supplemental plan if you want it.

When a switch starts

You apply betweenNew fund starts
16 Sept to 15 Nov1 Jan
16 Nov to 15 Jan1 Mar
16 Jan to 15 Mar1 May
16 Mar to 15 May1 Jul
16 May to 15 Jul1 Sept
16 Jul to 15 Sept1 Nov

Hebrew words you will hear

Search for these words and you'll find the right forms faster.

WordMeaningHebrew
Kupat HolimHealth fund. Plural: kupot holim. Also "kupah"קופת חולים
Sal HabriutThe basic basket of health servicesסל הבריאות
Bituach MashlimSupplemental insuranceביטוח משלים
Tofes MaavarTransfer form, for switching funds at the post officeטופס מעבר
Tik RefuiYour medical fileתיק רפואי
Bituach LeumiNational Insurance, which runs fund registrationביטוח לאומי

Where people get stuck

Picked a fund at the airport without checkingThe nearest clinic may be far away. You have 14 days to change it quickly.
Missed the 90 days for supplementalYou can still join later, but waiting periods apply before some services.
Expected the switch to start right awayIt starts on the next change date. Plan any big treatment around it.
The medical file did not followThe new doctor sees an empty file. Ask for the transfer and check it.

Questions

Which kupat holim is best for olim?

None is best everywhere. The basic basket is the same by law. Compare the clinics near your home and the supplemental plans for your family.

Can a fund refuse me because of a medical condition?

No, not for the basic basket or the supplemental plans. Long-term care policies are different and can look at pre-existing conditions.

Can you switch my fund for me?

We prepare everything and walk you through it, but you submit the switch in your own name. The Bituach Leumi form asks you to confirm that you are switching on your own.

Hand us the health fund paperwork.

Twenty minutes, free. We look at your address, your family and your deadlines.

Book a free callWhatsApp us

Olim Landed is a private, paid service. We are not a health fund, Bituach Leumi or Nefesh B'Nefesh, and we do not give medical advice. You can always do this yourself.

Sources: Nefesh B'Nefesh, Kupot Cholim. Nefesh B'Nefesh, Switching Kupot Cholim. Nefesh B'Nefesh, Your First Steps.