HMOs exceeded NIS 100 million in advertising expenses | Israel Today

In 2020, the HMOs exceeded NIS 100 million more than the Ministry of Health allows them to advertise and market.

According to the Knesset Information and Research Center report, in 2020 the funds spent NIS 136 million on advertising and marketing, while their allowable expenditure is limited to only NIS 37 million.

According to the data, the advertising and marketing expenses of the four funds increased by 17.5% between the years 2020-2017 - from about NIS 116 million in 2017 to about NIS 136 million in 2020.

In 2020, the United Health Fund spent NIS 48.6 million - 6.5 times the NIS 7.37 million allowed for advertising and marketing;

Maccabi spent NIS 32.8 million, almost 3.5 times the NIS 9.51 million allowed;

Leumit tripled, spending NIS 20.6 million, compared to the NIS 6.5 million it was allowed to spend;

And Clalit spent NIS 34 million while it is allowed only NIS 13.76 million.

MK Ofir Katz (Likud), initiator of the report: "This is an excess of the amount that the funds could have invested in shortening queues in the north, adding manpower in the south, medical equipment, equipment and improving medicine in the periphery. ".

MK Ofir Katz, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon

Maccabi response: "Only one-sixth of the amount is intended for advertising and marketing. In 2020, Maccabi acted for the health of its members in necessary information and marketing activities on Corona issues, as well as information on how to give vaccines, closing instructions, etc. Marketing regulations should be adapted to the digital age. The platforms. "

Meuhedet said that the expenses attributed to it "do not reflect the marketing expenses as defined in the law, and include expenses for providing information to insureds, and millions of shekels that were exceeded in favor of the corona and encouraging vaccination.

General Response: "Dealing with the corona plague requires higher-than-usual resources, across all platforms. These expenditures are met according to Ministry of Health guidelines and are reported to it on an ongoing and transparent basis."

Leumit did not respond to "Israel Today"'s request.

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