Refused by your HMO? Hillel Yaffe’s here to help

Hillel Yaffe Medical Center recently launched a new service designed to help patients deal with the HMOs and obtain their Form 17 (payment authorization form) for medical treatments. The service, which is provided free of charge, includes legal and professional advice for members of all HMOs.

Prof. Mickey Dudkiewicz, Director General of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, said, “Every single day we hear from patients who have to battle with rejections or delays in receiving a Form 17 from their HMO for various reasons attributable to the new Arrangements Law that went into effect in January 2024 and makes it very difficult for our patients to receive treatment close to home or at all. With the assistance of the Government Hospitals Division of the Ministry of Health, we established a specialized center to help patients exercise their medical rights and receive the medical treatment they require, close to their homes, quickly and efficiently.”

The staff at the center checks the patient's eligibility to receive the service at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. When they are found to be eligible, the staff works with the HMOs to obtain Form 17 for the patients. The service, which as previously stated, is provided free of charge, is designed to help cut through the red tape and ensure that patients receive treatment close to their homes and without unnecessary delays.

Center Director, attorney Shani Hasson, added, “For us it is important that patients exercise the extensive rights granted to them under the National Health Insurance Law in order to benefit from the outstanding medical care at Hillel Yaffe. We investigate whether the HMO's refusal to issue Form 17 to Hillel Yaffe is legally justified. When our legal investigation shows that the HMO's refusal is not justified, we act on behalf of the patient, working with the HMO and Ministry of Health to obtain Form 17.”

You can contact the center by e-mail: t17@hymc.gov.il or by calling *8371.

For further information and a list of the required documents >>