Examqo › Examqo library › Family medicine › Evidence-based medicine, family and law · IMLE
Israeli health law for the family doctor
Four laws govern most of the family doctor's daily decisions: the National Health Insurance Law (who is entitled to what), the Patient's Rights Law (consent, confidentiality and information), the Treatment of Mental Patients Law (compulsory examination and admission), and the long-term care (nursing) law (a benefit for dependent people).
Why it matters in the exam
Every year the family medicine paper has several law questions: "what is true about national health insurance?", who may lift medical confidentiality, when information may be withheld from a patient, for whom the district psychiatrist may issue a compulsory examination order, and who is entitled to the long-term care benefit.
The correct answers repeat principles: the patient owns the information, a departure from confidentiality or consent needs a basis in law or ethics-committee approval, and psychiatric compulsion requires mental illness and dangerousness.
Key points
- National Health Insurance: every resident, a basket of services, the fund cannot refuse.
- Patient's Rights: informed consent, the right to information and records, confidentiality.
- Breaching confidentiality — a legal duty, a court order or ethics-committee approval.
- Compulsory examination — mental illness + dangerousness + refusal, ordered by the district psychiatrist.
- Long-term care benefit — retirement age and dependence on others.
Summary table
| Law | Principle | Important details | Typical question |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Insurance (1994) | Every resident is entitled to a basket of services in the health fund of his choice | The fund may not refuse a member because of age or health; funded by health tax and the state budget; the basket is updated every year | Supplementary insurance is voluntary and does not replace the basket |
| Patient's Rights (1996) — consent | No treatment without informed consent | Exception: a life-threatening emergency when consent cannot be obtained | An ethics committee may approve treatment against the patient's will under defined conditions |
| Patient's Rights — information and records | The patient is entitled to the information and a copy of the record | Information may be withheld only when it may seriously harm the patient's health, with ethics-committee approval | Telephone consultations must also be documented |
| Patient's Rights — confidentiality | Information is released only with the patient's consent | Exceptions: a legal duty (reporting), the patient's own treatment, an essential need to protect others with ethics-committee approval, a court order | Reporting suspected abuse of a minor or a helpless person is mandatory |
| Treatment of Mental Patients (1991) | Compulsory examination ordered by the district psychiatrist | Requires reasonable suspicion of mental illness making the person dangerous to self or others, and refusal to be examined | Without mental illness and dangerousness — no compulsion |
| Long-term care benefit (National Insurance) | A benefit for a person of retirement age who depends on others | Dependence in daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating, continence, mobility) or need for supervision; income test | Care hours or cash |
A free exam question
?מה הבסיס החוקי של הפעולות להתמודדות עם פנדמיה של שפעת בישראל (the question as examined, in Hebrew)
- א. פקודת בריאות העם 1940
- ב. חוק ביטוח בריאות ממלכתי, תשנ"ד- 1994
- ג. תקנות ביטוח בריאות ממלכתי, תשפ"א- 2021
- ד. תקנות International Health Regulations של ארגון הבריאות העולמי
In the full version for subscribers
- A simple algorithm
- Memory aid
- Exam traps
- 5 review cards
- Enough for IMLE
The full version is open to subscribers of: Family medicine, Medical licensing exam (IMLE), Psychiatry, Public health, Forensic medicine.
Subscriber? Read the full topic Plans and prices 25 free questions
Sources
- State of Israel, 1994 — National Health Insurance Law
- State of Israel, 1996 — Patient's Rights Law
- State of Israel, 1991 — Treatment of Mental Patients Law
- National Insurance Institute of Israel, current — Long-term care benefit (nursing law): eligibility
Sources are given for further reading; the text is written afresh and not copied from them.
Reviewed by the Examqo AI Professor · 2026-11-06. The text may contain errors; when in doubt, check the source.