Israel’s public hospitals are on the verge of collapse due to heavy debts stemming from the loss of billions of shekels in revenue during the coronavirus crisis.
Not only were hospitals forced to halt all elective procedures during the crisis, medical tourism – normally the most lucrative source of revenue for Israeli hospitals – has ground to a complete halt. Furthermore, Israel’s Kupot Cholim (health funds) did not make any referrals or payments to hospitals during the height of the coronavirus crisis.
At the same time, hospitals were forced to make a significant financial outlay for hospital equipment, including respirators, lab equipment and personal protective equipment to prepare for the possibility of treating thousands of critically ill coronavirus patients.
The CEO of Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Ze’ev Rotstein, said in a recent interview on Kan News that Hadassah lost billions of shekels from lost revenue and he’s unsure he’ll be able to pay the salaries of hospital staff in July.
Rotstein added that the government promised to reimburse public hospitals for the lost revenue during the crisis and the funds spent to treat coronavirus patients but Hadassah has not yet received any reimbursement. He warned that if the government doesn’t provide Hadassah with financial assistance, the hospital will have to close down.
The coronavirus crisis has left Sheba Hospital in Ramat Gan with NIS 200 million ($58 million) in debt and Rambam Hospital in Haifa with NIS 150 million ($44 million) in debt.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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BS”D
I realize that there is a disease in the world called Covid-19 and that many Yidden, r”l, have been niftar from it. And Hashem should for sure comfort all of the mourners in Klal Yisroel.
But can we talk now? It’s bad enough that Lefty mobs are destroying our society, why do we have to have idiotic politicians do almost as bad? I don’t even want to mention NY — who is this Dr. Zucker fool helping the bad bad governor to close summer camps? NY is beyond words. But let’s talk about Israel where it’s Yidden who are being wrecked by government rule. Bibi et al, drop the shtick! You are bankrupting everything. El Al, public buses, hospitals, etc. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at stake here, and you’re worried about a few hundred, if that. Sorry, almost 750,000 tests in Israel (not sure if that’s 750,000 people or tests, but still, it’s a high number) and only 19,000 cases — over a six-month period! And 300 deaths total (many from nursing homes) [yes, every Yiddish life is precious, but the economic fallout will arguably kill many more]. Okay, great, all the decrees worked! Take credit for it. But now the pendulum has swung to the other side. Better a so-called second wave (actually, only a first wave in Israel since the first wave never really happened), than massive unemployment and economic and societal ruin. Here, Bibi, I have a great idea: let every Israeli vote and/or sign a waiver. They can all go out without masks and the world can “open up” like regular and they’ll all take their chances. If you remove the far-Left from the vote tally, I would imagine that 90% of Israelis will tell the government to drop the shtick. Stop trying to save the people. Or, Bibi, just call the CEOs of El Al and the buses and the hospitals and almost every other business and have them stage massive protests (not riots, protests), and then you can claim to everyone that you were “forced” to open up the economy and drop all the rules. I don’t think 341 tickets for $60 each is going to cover the economic shortfall. Jews are supposed to be smart. I can’t watch what’s going on — too painful. Hashem should help.