Today, the National Insurance publishes a bill to the public which will allow ambulance companies that transport pregnant mothers to medical centers to receive payment from the National Insurance.
Currently, the legislation allows the ambulance evacuation of pregnant mothers about to give birth only by Magen David Adom (MaDA), excluding the possibility of receiving reimbursement for other companies in the emergency systems that currently exist in Israel.
The need to update the legislation stems from recognition of the structural changes that have occurred in the emergency services system in Israel since 1953, when Magen David Adom was the only body that operated and provided ambulance evacuation services. There are currently additional authorized bodies operating in the field, and the move is intended to provide a solution to availability issues, especially in areas where providing a direct and immediate response is difficult, and also to provide an equal response to the other ambulance and emergency systems operating under license and in accordance with the current reality. Opening the possibility to call private ambulance bodies will allow mothers to enjoy higher availability, while making optimal use of the entire evacuation system currently existing in the country.
It should be noted that the amendment only concerns pregnant mothers for whom, by law, the provision of service is restricted to MaDA only.
According to the details of the amendment, the National Insurance Institute will be able to reach an agreement with any body that holds a license to operate an ambulance from the Licensing Authority at the Ministry of Transportation. The contract with the new bodies will be carried out under strict supervision and control procedures, in accordance with the rules and conditions determined by the National Insurance Institute. It should be noted that the expansion of the system is intended to ensure that provide the most professional and accessible envelope of services to the public of pregnant mothers.
National Insurance Institute's statement: "The National Insurance Law is a large legislation and includes a large number of details in various areas. Admittedly, this law is frequently modified throughout the year and adapting to the current reality constitutes an integral part of these legislative amendments. Today, there are many ambulances operating under a license and they also deserve a refund like any other company when they evacuate a woman in labor. This is the equitable and right thing to do and we hope that the increased competition will result in improved service for the public."