Health Ministry Data Reveals Longest Wait Times for Therapy in Maccabi and Meuhedet
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
New Ministry of Health data shows Leumit HMO has the shortest wait times for child development therapies, averaging 2.4 months for speech therapy, while Clalit's average is 8.30 months. Leumit also has the lowest rate of justified public complaints, with 0.38 per 10,000 members. Independent surveys also rank Leumit first in customer satisfaction and as a top employer, suggesting a stable workforce.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Leumit HMO offers the shortest wait times for child therapies, averaging 2.4 months for speech therapy.
- Clalit HMO has the longest wait times for speech therapy, averaging 8.30 months.
- Leumit HMO recorded the lowest rate of justified public complaints at 0.38 per 10,000 members.
- Maccabi HMO had the highest rate of justified complaints at 1.47 per 10,000 members.
- Leumit ranked first in customer satisfaction across 16 parameters in the 2026 Midrag survey.
- Leumit has led the HMO sector in BDI employer rankings for ten consecutive years.
New data from Israel's Ministry of Health, presented to a Knesset committee, highlights significant disparities in wait times for essential child development therapies across the country's four health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The longest average wait for a speech therapist is 8.30 months at Clalit, nearly four times longer than the 2.4 months at Leumit.
Leumit HMO also demonstrates the shortest wait times across all examined professions, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, speech therapy, and developmental psychology, areas crucial for families with young children. In contrast, Maccabi and Meuhedet face average waits of 4.57 and 4.62 months respectively for speech therapy.
Beyond wait times, the Ministry of Health's Commissioner for Public Complaints also reported on justified complaints filed by members against HMOs in 2025. Leumit had the lowest rate of justified complaints, with only 0.38 per 10,000 members, significantly lower than Maccabi's 1.47 per 10,000 members. In total, only 28 justified complaints were found against Leumit throughout 2025, representing about 2.6% of all justified complaints nationwide.
These official figures align with public perception, as indicated by recent rankings. Leumit was ranked first in customer satisfaction across 16 parameters in the 2026 Midrag survey. Furthermore, Leumit has consistently been recognized in the BDI ranking as one of the top 100 companies to work for in Israel and has led the HMO sector for ten consecutive years, suggesting a stable and committed workforce.
The article encourages families considering a switch to Leumit, emphasizing a simple process to obtain information and understand the transition steps.