It is somewhat difficult to think of what else that is wrong with the State of Israel can be blamed on chareidim but in a Walla News report, yet another area has been found. The report explains that Ichilov Hospital, as is advertises on its website, a mom is permitted to remain for two days following an normal child birth without complications. However, chareidi women are given an additional day and this extra day “is at the expense of taxpayers” Walla reports.
Walla adds it telephoned and spoke with the maternity department of Ichilov, which confirms “yes, we pamper the chareidi women and instead of a 48-hour stay they receive 72 hours.”
Walla continues and provides the explanation being simple economics. A hospital receives 13,000 NIS for a newborn from Bituach Leumi. Ichilov, like other hospitals, has come to the realization that chareidim give birth more frequently and attracting chareidi women to give birth in a hospital is a big money maker. Therefore, Ichilov has decided that any chareidi women asking to remain a third day is accommodated. Hence, chareidim assist the hospital in efforts to bring in money yet this too is turned against chareidim.
Ultimately, it is a win/win for the mom and the hospital. Other hospitals offer perks to chareidim as well for the same reason. In reality, the “taxpayer” is not floating the expense of the additional day but that money comes from the Bituach Leumi payment to Ichilov. Nevertheless, it presents another opportunity to continue the new national sport, chareidi bashing. The hospital has come to the conclusion that it pays to make a bit less on the birth by giving mom a third day from the 13,000 NIS payment for if the word spreads and more chareidi moms use the facility, everyone is happy.
Walla quotes Ichilov officials adding that if the maternity ward is too crowded, then even a chareidi woman may not be able to remain for a third day.
In short, many hospitals offer incentives to attract patients for childbirths, which are profitable. However, in the State of Israel, even a welcomed event such as having a baby can be turned into another reason to shun chareidim.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
If this is true, someone should have their tenure questioned. Its the hospital trying to exploit the Chareidi women NOT the Chareidim seeking to exploit the system of health care compensation.
1. And they turn away non-hareidi mothers who want to stay an extra day?
2. This shows the sort of economic waste that socialized medicine tends to result in, not just in Israel. Hospitals are for the sick, not those who want to stay there. And co-pays ideally reduce waste by giving the patient some “skin in the game.”
3. The Israeli do NOT consider “a welcomed event such as having a baby” if its a hareidi baby.
I thought that chareidim get an extra day in every hospital, in the world for that matter, if the baby is born on Thursday. Thus if they get two days, Thursday and Friday, they are allowed to stay over also on Shabbos. At the insurance’s expense.
The war against charedim is continuing forward starting with psychological
“In reality, the “taxpayer” is not floating the expense of the additional day but that money comes from the Bituach Leumi payment to Ichilov” – Azoi? – Bituach Leumi is funded by the Israeli taxpayer. The author’s argument is nonsensical.
Sounds like a great incentive, all women would opt for the 3rd day. Time to bash the hospital and its policies rather than the Charedi woman.
the incitement against charedim and frum ..on oh so many (websites and) mainstream media…but of course,being more articulate,it’s will be called a different name..
I’m not justifying anything I’ve way or another but bituach leumi is paid for by the working public. The hospital is choosing how to spend this money which is paid for by those who work.
There’s a fine line between reporting the news and merely increasing bad feelings between Jews and between Jews and E”Y. I understand what you’re trying to show with each article lately but you’re treading closer and closer to crossing the line. It’s beneath you, YWN. Please, choose the high road…
If someone wants to give me a perk I wouldn’t turn it down. The hospital administrator(s) who are responsible for this ridiculous policy should be fired immediately, with, if the law allows, criminal procedures brought against them. Clearly they were showing favoritism to one segment of the population which is discrimination.
this is a ridiculous argument, Why would a (chiloni) or any , new mother with a two day old healthy baby WANT to stay in the hospital another day???!!! the only reason the Chareidim do is because they are going home to 6 or 7 or more at home and they need a rest. The average non chareidi parent going home with a first or second child WANTS to go home after 2 days!!! What they should offer is state funded Beit Hachlama. !! That would be controversial because only the Chareidim would frequent it!!1
#5:
It is not being paid for by the taxpayer because the hospital already got its 13,000 NIS no matter how long the mother does or doesn’t stay.
#8:
Everyone pays bituach leumi, whether they work or are in kollel.
This is simple arithmetic, people. Every time a mother gives birth, the hospital she gave birth in gets 13,000 NIS. The hospitals have woken up to the fact that chareidi women give birth much more than their non-frum and, in general, even Mizrachi sisters.
Hadassah started this years ago, offering all kinds of perks to women who give birth there, including an extra day. Most women want to get out of the hospital as fast as they can. But a mother who is going home to a house full of little ones might very well be interested in another day’s stay.
No one, including the hospitals, ever said that a non-frum woman who requested another day wouldn’t get it. But the advertising is addressed to the chareidi public.
“Its the hospital trying to exploit the Chareidi women”
I agree. Women who give birth should be discharged as quickly as possible, even on Shabat, because hospitals are dangerous places, because of the high probability of infections. Even 48 hours is often longer than is necessary.