Entitlement to complementary medicine


​The victim a work injury is entitled to receive coverage of complementary medicine treatments from the National Insurance directly, without being required to approach your health maintenance organization (HMO) for repayment (with the exception of chiropractic treatments).

Which treatments are covered?

Complementary medicine treatments known te be efficient for convalescence and medical rehabilitation involve three types of medicine only: chiropractic, acupuncture, shiatsu and feldenkrais.

  • Treatments of acupuncture, shiatsu and feldenkrais will be provided exclusively by the HMOs and within their facilities, and no refund will be granted for treatments performed privately. Funding entitlement involves three series of treatments, with 14 treatments per series, and funding will be made through the National Insurance as detailed below. One may mix up different treatments together (acupuncture, shiatsu and feldenkrais) in each series, but only within these categories.
  • Chiropractic treatments will be provided in the complementary medicine clinics of the HMOs. To obtain money refund, you need to contact your HMO directly and make arrangements in order to receive refund for your personal participation and/or installments you have paid for the treatments, in the clinics that have an agreement with the HMO for providing these treatments.

Treatment coverage for members of Health Services Clalit

Members of Health Services Clalit can receive prior approval to receive treatments and payment exemption for each series separately (up to 14 treatments per series), or to obtain refund for treatments received.

Obtaining prior approval and payment exemption

  • You need to submit to the Work Injury Department of the branch of the National Insurance nearest your place of residence, a request for prior approval of treatments through the website.
    The request must be submitted along with a referral by your HMO's attending physician (family/orthopedist/neurologist and so on) for complementary medicine.
  • The request will be communicated to us for review and whether you are entitled to coverage of one series of complementary medicine treatments - you will receive a request form, which you are required to submit to the rehab clinics of Health Services Clalit in order to receive a series of treatments free of charge.
  • To realize your entitlement to another series - you need to repeat that procedure and submit a renewed request, which includes an updated referral from your attending physician for the continuation of complementary medicine treatments.

Obtaining refund for treatments

If you have paid for the treatments you have received - you have to submit a refund request to the Work Injury Department of the branch of the National Insurance nearest your place of residence. The request can be submitted via the website. You need to attach the following documents:

  • Referral by your HMO's attending physician (family/orthopedist/neurologist and so on) for complementary medicine treatments.
  • File summary of the complementary medicine clinic - including a follow up treatments sheet detailing for each received treatment you have received: type of treatment, date of treatment and cost of treatment.
  • Original receipts for payment of these treatments. If you don't have original receipts, you can provide a verified copy, along with a written declaration confirming that you haven't receive any money refund for these treatments from any other party.

Treatment coverage for members of Macabi, Meuchedet and Leumit HMOs

If you are a member of Macabi, Meuchedet or Leumit HMOs, and request the prior approval of treatment coverage, or if you have already received treatments and wish to obtain refund of these treatments - you have to submit a refund request to the Work Injury Department of the branch of the National Insurance nearest your place of residence via the website, and attach the following documents:

  • Referral by your HMO's attending physician (family/orthopedist/neurologist and so on) for complementary medicine treatments.
  • File summary of the complementary medicine clinic - including a follow up treatments sheet detailing for each received treatment you have received: type of treatment, date of treatment and cost of treatment.
  • Original receipts for payment of these treatments. If you don't have original receipts, you can provide a verified copy, along with a written declaration confirming that you haven't receive any money refund for these treatments from any other party.

If you qualify for a refund - it will be automatically paid in your bank account, and you will receive a notification from us.