How to change from one Health-Fund (Kupat Holim) to another

Hebrew: איך מחליפים קופת חולים

Whether you are not satisfied, or for any reason, in Israel you have the right to switch from one health-fund (Kupat Holim) to another, provided you have been a member of your current health-fund for at least one year.

Procedure

What you need to do

You need to obtain the "Tofes Hodaat Maavar" - The Notification of Transfer Form - from any branch of the post-office
Fill out the form and hand it in at the post-office. You will be charged a nominal fee
You can also complete this procedure via the Bituach Leumi website (National Insurance)
Make a request from your current Health Fund that your medical records and information be transferred to the new one. There is no charge for this service.

Note that your rights as a member of a health-fund are not harmed in any way when you transfer funds. You are entitled to the same identical services in each of the 4 health-funds, as prescribed by the law.

Medical Terminology

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Hebrew, English & Transliterated Medical Terms

Hebrew - רפואה

English	Transliteration	Hebrew
Alternative medicine	Re’foo’a mush’li’ma	רְפוּאָה אַלְטֶרְנָטִיבִית / מַשְׁלִימָה
Anti-septic cream	Krem chitoi	קרם חיטוי
Antibiotic	Anti’bio’ti	אַנְטִיבְּיוֹטִי
Appointment	Tor	תּוֹר
Blood pressure	La’chatz dam	לחץ דם
Branch (of Health Fund)	Snif	סניף
Child development	Hit’put’choot ha’ye’led	התפתחות הילד
Chronic illness	Ma’cha’la kroni	מחלה כרונית
Clinic	Mir’pa’a	מִרְפָּאָה
Dentist	Ro’fe shi’ny’im	רוֹפֵא שִׁנַּיִם
Doctor	Ro’fe	רופא
Dosage	Mi’noon	מינון
Ear, nose & throat specialist	Af, o’zen ve ga’ron	אף, אוזן, הגרון
Emergency room	Chadar mi’yoon	חֲדַר מִיּוּן
Get well soon!	Re’fu’a Shle’ma	רפואה שלמה
Gynecologist	Ro’fe na’shim	ינֶקוֹלוֹג, רוֹפֵא נָשִׁים
Health insurance	Bi’too’ach bri’yoot	בִּטּוּחַ בְּרִיאוּת
Health fund	Ku’pat ho’lim	קופת חולים
Health basket	Sal Habriut	סל הבריאות
Health	Bri'ut	בריאות
Healthy	Bari	בָּרִיא
Hospital	Bet cho’lim	בית חולים
Illness	Ma’cha’la	מחלה
Pregnancy	Ani be’he’ra’on	הֵרָיוֹן
Join (a health fund)	Hitz’ta’ref	הִצְטָרֵף
Laxative medication	Sum me’shal’shel	סם משלשל
Laboratory	Ma’a’ba’da	מַעְבָּדָה
Membership card	Kar’tis cha’ver	כרטיס חבר
Midwife	M'yaledet	מְיַלֶּדֶת
Ministry of Health	Mis’rad ha’bri’yoot	משרד הבריאות
Medical equipment	Tzi’yood re’fu’i	ציוד רפואי
Medication	Troofa	תְּרוּפָה
Nurse	A’chot	אָחוֹת
Nurse (male)	Ach	האח
Operation (surgery)	Ni’too’ach	נִתּוּחַ
Orthopedics	Or’to’ped’i’ya	אוֹרְתּוֹפֶּדְיָה
Pain	Ke’ev	כְּאֵב
Paediatrician	Rofe yeladim	רוֹפֵא יְלָדִים
Pharmacy	Bet mer’ka’chat	בֵּית מִרְקַחַת
Private Consultation	Bi’kur pra’ti	ביקור פרטי
Poison	Ra’al	רעל
Psychologist	Psi'cha’log	פְּסִיכוֹלוֹג
Psychiatrist	Psi’chi’a’tor	פְּסִיכִיאָטֶר
Prescription	Mersham Refui	מִרְשָׁם רְפוּאִי
Referral	Haf’na’ya	הַפְנָיָ
Sick	Cho’le	חולה
Side effects	To’fa’ot le’vy	תּוֹפָעַת לְוַאי
Similar medicine	Troo’fa do’ma	תרופה דומה
Specialist physician	Moom’che	מֻמְחֶה
Treatment	Ti’pul	טִפּוּל
Urologist	Yu’ro’log	אוּרוֹלוֹג
Vaccination	Chi’sun	חִסּוּן
Weight	Mish’kal	משקל