The ‘Seven Nine-103fm’ test revealed this morning the crooked way to shorten the long waiting time for the test: private Israeli companies offer an appointment for a test in only three days, for very high sums. In the background of the investigation, Anat Davidov spoke today (Sunday) with Dr. Udi Frishman, health insurance and nursing experts, who claimed that “the story embodies the problematic nature of the public health system.”
MRI for the rich only? The companies that shorten the waiting time for huge sums
“This story is well known to me”, Frishman referred to the expensive ways to shorten the examination queues, “it embodies the problematic nature of the public health system. I think that the health system is supposed to provide health services according to a state health insurance law, and the fundamental principle of a state health law is equitable medicine The role of the state is to budget the system and the budget of the health funds to provide the budgeted health services to the general public in a completely equal manner.”
Frishman also said: “I guess I won’t be surprised if I say that the problem is not only with the MRI, there are many medical services where the queues are very long and the way to deal with the long queue is to pay money. This must not happen in a system that has enshrined the principle of equality. The solution The way to deal with this is through the private system. In Israel there are two systems, one system that everyone praises and praises, which is the public system but does not have enough budgets, and a system that everyone enjoys teasing, the private insurance system that is supposed to supplement what the public system does not know how to provide.”
He commented on the scope of the phenomenon and said: “Everyone who pays money under the table does not declare it, but in my opinion this is a significant phenomenon, also in shortening appointments for surgeries and other medical operations. More than that, also in choosing a doctor. The public health system, by law, does not allow choosing a doctor , but today you can also choose the public system if you know who to pay and when.”
Regarding the private insurances, Frishman said that “a person who has private insurance does not need to go to a doctor, he can get almost any medical examination in Israel within a period of 48 hours, that’s what the private system and the insurance is for. There is no reason for the insurance company to pay brokerage fees. In public There are no solutions, so we go to the insurance company – which is very serious, but the insurance company won’t pay.”
“What do you propose?” asked Davidov. Frishman answered: “For those who have private insurance – let them not go to the alms, contact their insurance agent, the insurance company and they will be able to get the medical services very quickly available. For those who do not have private insurance, let them go buy private health insurance. And for the state – improve the availability of services in the public system There is no regulator, he doesn’t deal with the important things, he deals with the less important things unfortunately, a little in politics, a little in respect, I don’t see the regulator’s involvement in fighting private medicine and private insurance.”
Assisted in the preparation of the article: Shani Romano 103fm