So, should I Join The IMA?
- Rivka Lebrett
- Dec 15, 2025
- 7 min read
The Israel Medical Association (IMA) is the official representative body for physicians in Israel and is responsible for setting and overseeing specialty training programs, as well as granting specialty accreditation. Every practicing doctor in Israel is automatically registered with the IMA and pays a minimal mandatory monthly fee for representation. However, full IMA membership is optional and involves additional costs, in exchange for a broader range of benefits.
In this blog, we aim to help you understand what full IMA membership actually offers, how much it costs, and whether it is worth paying for. Let's go...
Membership Fees
The basic mandatory monthly fee for all active physicians in Israel depends on your wage, stage of training and work place. It is listed as דמי טיפול ארגוני (IMA administrative fee) on your payslip and is around 150 shekels monthly.
To become an IMA member and benefit from its services, you must register and pay a membership fee. This fee replaces the mandatory administrative dues and is not paid in addition to them.
Membership fees (as of January 2025) are as follows:
Category | Fee |
Active physician | 264 NIS per month |
*Retiree (retirement age–75) | 183 NIS per month |
Retiree age 75–80 | 111 NIS per month |
During maternity leave | 241 NIS per month |
Mandatory IDF service, Students and Interns | Exempt from payment |
Physician couples in which both partners pay full, regular IMA membership fees are eligible to apply for a couples’ refund.
To submit an application, follow this link.
IMA Membership Benefits
There are many services offered to members of the IMA. Here are some of the main ones.
Group Health Insurance
This is one of the main perks of IMA membership. I’ve included detailed information on coverage options and pricing so you can calculate whether paying IMA fees plus the level of family coverage you want is financially worthwhile for you, or whether a separate private insurance policy without IMA membership fees would be cheaper.
The IMA group policy is with the insurance company Menora.
A new policy came into place on 1 October 2025 with important changes which effect all paying members. The policy is valid until 30 September 2030.
For all current members being covered by IMA's health insurance, there is a special enrollment window for joining and upgrading coverage until 31 December 2025.
Members already paying for expanded coverage must actively confirm renewal.
New or returning members aged 56+ require a health declaration.
The full policy can be viewed here:
Basic Insurance Coverage (רוֹבֶד בְּסִיס)
The basic insurance package is fully funded by the IMA for all paying members, at all ages.
Adding Family Members
Family members must be actively added and payments made directly to Menora.
Family members can only add expanded coverage if the physician member has the same coverage.
The third child and any additional children are covered free of charge.
Costs per additional family member are dependent on age, as follows:
Age | Monthly Premium (NIS) |
0–20 | 23 ₪ |
21–40 | 39 ₪ |
41–50 | 54 ₪ |
51–60 | 98 ₪ |
61–66 | 139 ₪ |
67+ | 181 ₪ |
What does the basic insurance coverage include?
Transplant and special medical treatments abroad
This includes transplant and hospitalization costs, transplant-related expenses such as travel and accommodation, a monthly allowance, a one-time transplant compensation payment, and coverage for special medical treatments abroad.
Medications not included in the health basket (סַל שֵׁרוּתֵי הַבְּרִיאוּת-the state-funded list of medical services and medications every resident is entitled to receive.)
Coverage for medications not included in the health basket, or included but not approved for the insured’s specific medical indication (off-label and orphan drugs).
Coverage for personalized medications, related ancillary services, genomic testing, and medical cannabis for cancer treatment.
Surgeries ABROAD
Medical services related to surgery, including compensation in the event of death resulting from the surgery.
Basic ambulatory coverage (E1)
Second opinions from overseas medical specialists, genetic testing for cancer or other disease risk, oncologic lab tests (ONCOTEST), speech rehabilitation after stroke or injury, private nursing care, preventive screening tests, pregnancy-related tests, and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.
Critical illness coverage:
One unit only, ₪50,000 (up to age 47)
This benefit pays a one-time lump sum of ₪50,000 per unit upon diagnosis of a critical illness, with no need to prove expenses, giving financial flexibility during illness.
Optional Expanded Insurance Coverage for Eligible Members:
(Health declaration waived up to age 55 during the enrollment window, except critical illness)
Surgeries IN ISRAEL
You choose between three tracks, mainly differing in flexibility and out-of-pocket cost:
Supplementary to SHaB”N - SHaB”N (שַׁבָּ״ן – שֵׁירוּתֵי בְּרִיאוּת נוֹסָפִים) is the HMO’s supplementary health insurance (no deductible): The HMO pays first, the insurance fills the gaps. Good coverage at a moderate price, but you stay within the HMO system.
First-shekel coverage: The insurance pays from the start, with maximum freedom to choose surgeon and hospital, at a higher monthly cost.
Supplementary to SHaB”N with ₪5,000 deductible: Lowest monthly premium, but you pay ₪5,000 per surgery before coverage applies.
Age group | First-shekel surgeries | Supplementary to SHaB”N | SHaB”N + deductible ₪5,000 |
0-20 | 26 ₪ | 13 ₪ | 10 ₪ |
21-25 | 50 ₪ | 25 ₪ | 19 ₪ |
26-30 | 50 ₪ | 25 ₪ | 19 ₪ |
31–35 | 87 ₪ | 44 ₪ | 34 ₪ |
36–40 | 87 ₪ | 44 ₪ | 34 ₪ |
41–45 | 121 ₪ | 61 ₪ | 47 ₪ |
46–50 | 121 ₪ | 61 ₪ | 47 ₪ |
51–55 | 192 ₪ | 97 ₪ | 75 ₪ |
56–60 | 228 ₪ | 119 ₪ | 92 ₪ |
61–65 | 329 ₪ | 174 ₪ | 135 ₪ |
66+ | 492 ₪ | 271 ₪ | 210 ₪ |
Additional ambulatory coverage (E2)
This layer provides broader access to specialist care and diagnostics, including up to three specialist consultations in Israel per year and advanced diagnostic tests, both with partial co-payment. It also includes postpartum recovery stays (from 4th child onward), child development therapies, and treatment for childhood bedwetting.
The coverage extends to medical equipment and cardiac monitoring, as well as rehabilitation services, recovery facility stays, and daily compensation for hospitalization after surgery. A one-time compensation is paid in the event of surgery-related death.
Age group | Additional ambulatory coverage (E2) |
0–20 | 13 ₪ |
21–25 | 31 ₪ |
26–30 | 31 ₪ |
31–35 | 31 ₪ |
36–40 | 31 ₪ |
41–45 | 31 ₪ |
46–50 | 31 ₪ |
51–55 | 32 ₪ |
56–60 | 34 ₪ |
61–65 | 37 ₪ |
66+ | 120 ₪ |
Expanded critical illness coverage
Up to 4 units (₪50,000 each); health declaration required at all ages.
Age group | Monthly premium per unit (NIS) |
0–20 | 4 ₪ |
21–25 | 5 ₪ |
26–30 | 7 ₪ |
31–35 | 10 ₪ |
36–40 | 17 ₪ |
41–45 | 31 ₪ |
46–50 | 50 ₪ |
51–55 | 83 ₪ |
56–60 | 127 ₪ |
61–65 | 192 ₪ |
66+ | 294 ₪ |
Insurance & Professional Support
Personal Accident Insurance:
No longer included (ended in 2023).
Travel Insurance Abroad:
30% discount and free baggage coverage
Independent Insurance Consultation:
One hour, objective and independent
Available once every 3 years.
The Doctor Card (Multipass)
A great membership perk is this discount card for doctors and their families.
Accepted at a wide range of retail and food chains.
When you load money onto the card, it goes into two separate wallets. One wallet is for leading retail chains and gives a 15% discount, and the other is for food chains, with a 7% discount. You choose how much to load, and the discount is applied immediately, so you pay the reduced amount upfront.
Gold benefit: 20% off the first ₪1,000 loaded each month into the retail chains wallet. This means you get ₪200 in savings every month to spend at leading retail chains.
Consumer Clubs & Discounts
“Yachad” Consumer Club:
A large purchasing club for doctors and other professionals (e.g. El Al, IEC, Teva, Bank Leumi).
Offers rotating discounts and deals via the website:
Isrotel – Sun Club (חוג שמש):
Free membership (normally ₪250 for 2 years)
10% discount on listed hotels
Free entrance to the Dan Lounge at Ben Gurion
This is only valid until the end of 2025 and will be replaced with an alternative deal that has yet to be announced.
Free Car Test Service:
This IMA service is raved about. Saving you a lot of hassle, this free-of-charge service means a driver collects your car, takes it for the test, and simply returns it.
Financial & Career Support
Independent pension consultation (one-on-one).
Discounted mortgage advice session
Financial preparation workshops for fellowship / advanced training.
Discounts on conferences and courses.
15% discount on payments to the IMA and the Scientific Council.
Career support and advice (2 meetings, 3 hours in total)
Discounts on textbooks (up to 50%)
Free 30 minute tax consultations
Pay slip overview and advice
Financial support fund
Freebies
Doctor on Duty sign for your car
Diary, car stickers and other IMA merchandise
Access to IMAJ and HaRofeh Medical Journals
Legal Advice
The IMA’s legal department provides doctors with advice on a wide range of employment and labor law issues, including salary and collective agreement rights, working conditions, dismissals and disciplinary procedures, resignation and constructive dismissal, working hours and overtime, parental rights and family related leave, women’s employment rights such as maternity leave and fertility treatments, equality and anti discrimination protections, review of employment contracts, retirement and pension arrangements, and matters related to unionization.
Summary
When deciding whether to join the IMA, the key question is whether the costs justify the benefits. Full IMA membership costs are roughly ₪3,000 per year. While membership includes a group health insurance policy, the basic coverage is relatively limited. Even the optional expanded layers, which come with significant additional monthly costs and often overlap substantially with standard HMO supplementary insurance. As with any insurance product, it’s essential to read the small print carefully before assuming the coverage represents good value.
In addition to financial considerations, it’s also worth reflecting on how you relate to the IMA as an organisation. Historically, the IMA played a central role in building Israel’s medical system and advancing doctors’ rights. In recent years, however, it has faced criticism. Some doctors feel it has become increasingly politicised, including calling strikes in response to broader political developments rather than issues directly related to healthcare. Others argue it has not adequately championed the rights of medical residents, who remain underpaid, overworked, and subject to 26-hour shifts, with little tangible progress toward reform. There are also ongoing concerns about conflicts of interest, as the IMA functions both as a trade union and as a regulatory body responsible for medical ethics and specialty training.
Ultimately, whether IMA membership is “worth it” is a personal decision. It depends on your individual family situation, health needs, and financial calculations, as well as your personal views and expectations of a medical labour union and what you believe it should be prioritising and achieving.
It is also worth noting that there is a competing union, MIRSHAM (מֵרְשָׁ"ם), which represents medical residents and young specialists in non-managerial positions. Established in 2015, MIRSHAM was created to better advocate for the specific challenges faced by residents. It offers a competitive package of benefits for ₪125 per month, and will be reviewed in detail in a future blog.
