At the end of the budget discussions, it was decided that the deductible for mental health treatments would be NIS 35 per session, instead of the NIS 70 initially requested by the Ministry of Finance. When children up to the age of 18, people with disabilities and recipients of income supplement will be exempt from paying the deductible.
"A very important budget": The state budget for 2024 was approved by the government // Video : Omer Meron / GPO, Sound: Ben Peretz / GPO
The Ministry of Health insisted on reducing the deductible so that it would not constitute a barrier for those in need of treatment. This process is part of the approval of an additional budget to strengthen the field of mental health, at a cost of NIS 1.4 billion, the largest since the mental health reform.
The Ministry of Health expresses satisfaction with the budget
The Ministry of Health asked for NIS 2 billion and claimed that it would not be possible to present an entire program for less than this amount. Until the last draft budget, the Ministry of Finance did not address the issue, and in the end, 70% of the sum was approved, plus NIS 150-200 million earmarked for salary agreements with psychologists and psychiatrists.
The plan is expected to double the number of mental health treatments provided, and according to the Ministry of Health, constitutes a "turning point in the national priorities." Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov said at a briefing to reporters that "participation will be NIS 35 per meeting. All children up to the age of 18 will be exempt from payment, as will the disabled and the population of income supplement recipients."
Health Committee Budget 2024 Minister Bosso and CEO Siman Tov, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The program focuses on shortening appointments for treatment in the community, providing treatment in the community, hospitalization alternatives (for example, psychiatric home hospitalization, balancing homes, etc.), improving the service and infrastructure in the psychiatric hospitalization system, grants for psychologists in the public system, budgeting resilience centers in the Western Negev, using triage - psychiatric screening to prioritize referrals, institutionalizing a new role as a "mental health helper" and more.
At the same time, an increase of 0.15% in the health tax was set starting in 2025 (this is a NIS 15 monthly increase for every NIS 10,<> salary). This is a regressive tax, which applies to the entire population regardless of its income, and when private expenditure on health in Israel is already among the highest in the world.
Hundreds of millions for infrastructure rehabilitation
The cut at the Health Ministry headquarters was supposed to be about NIS 350 million, but was reduced and the Health Ministry could not estimate exactly how much. The basket of drugs will not be harmed and there will be a budget of about NIS 40 million for the purchase of the drug remdesivir for COVID-<>.
Health Committee Budget 2024 Minister Bosso and CEO Siman Tov, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
As part of the budget and due to the fighting events, the Ministries of Health and Finance reached an agreement on a new plan for protection and preparations for cyberattacks totaling NIS 200 million. An allocation of NIS 150 million over two years was agreed to protect critical spaces that do not meet the current protection requirements: emergency rooms, NICUs and emergency hospitalization departments. In addition, an agreement was reached on an additional NIS 50 million over two years in order to improve preparations for cyber events.
As part of the summary, a plan was determined and budgeted to transfer the National Institute of Forensic Medicine to Shamir Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, and to determine a plan to strengthen the medical personnel at the Institute.
"War presents us with complex challenges"
Health Minister Uriel Bosso said: "The State of Israel is going through difficult days and the Ministry of Health is at the forefront of the campaign. The war presents us with very complex challenges, forcing us to change priorities and create immediate medical responses for many populations."
Health Committee Budget 2024 Minister Bosso and CEO Siman Tov, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Minister Bosso added: "Public health is our priority, we insisted to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance that these issues be addressed appropriately within the framework of the budget, and I commend them for understanding the magnitude of the hour."
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director General of the Ministry of Health, said: "Thanks to the resilience of the health system and the excellent medical teams, we have provided life-saving treatment to many thousands of Israelis, civilians and soldiers. The system is committed to continue to be the anchor and civilian home front of the State of Israel."
"In the current budget, we have placed a major emphasis on mental health, as required by the situation," he added. "Alongside this issue, we also emphasized physical rehabilitation, protection and cyber, and the advancement of forensic medicine and the National Institute of Forensic Medicine."
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