Israel Appoints Committee to Expand Health Services Basket for 2027

Israel's Ministry of Health has appointed the General Committee for Expanding the Health Services Basket for 2027. The committee, tasked with reviewing hundreds of new medications and medical technologies, was allocated a budget of 650 million shekels. It will provide recommendations for inclusion in the national health basket based on medical, professional, social, and economic considerations, aiming to broaden treatment options for the public.

Minister of Health Chaim Katz stated that a strong public health system should ensure advanced medical treatment is accessible regardless of financial means. He noted that an additional 650 million shekels has been added annually to the health basket budget in recent years, enhancing state services and reducing disparities in access to new treatments.

Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director General of the Ministry of Health, emphasized the committee's work impacts patients' quality of life and survival. He highlighted the Israeli health system's commitment to providing advanced, high-quality, and equitable services, with the committee being a key tool. Bar Siman Tov acknowledged the committee members' significant professional and public responsibility in making complex decisions that balance medical needs with limited resources.

The committee's members include Professor Dina Ben Yehuda as Chairwoman, Professor Asnat Luxemburg as Coordinator, Dr. Dov Albukerk, Dr. Sohair Asadi, Dr. Lilach Dolew, Professor Yigal Hass, Haim Hubert, Yoav Hecht, Professor Shlomo Vinker, Professor Chaim Lotan, Dr. Daniel Landsberg, Professor Miriam Markovitch-Bitton, Rabbi Meshulam Nahari, Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, Tamar Chen, Hadassah Ralbag, and Neria Shtauber.