THIRTY YEARS AFTER ISRAELS NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE LAW: FINANCING TRENDS, POLICY CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS, 2005-2024

Background: Israels National Health Insurance (NHI) law created durable universal coverage, but the long-term adequacy of financing remains contested. Thirty years after enactment, the key policy question is no longer whether legal entitlement exists, but whether the public core has kept pace with demographic growth, technology costs, and service-capacity needs. Methods: This study used a secondary policy-analysis design based on official macro-level data. The quantitative backbone consisted of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) national expenditure on health series for 2005-2022, supplemented by CBS media releases for 2023 and 2024 and by OECD Health at a Glance 2025 indicators for comparative context. The revised version adds clearer discussion of trend interpretation,terminology,the temporary pandemic effect, supplementary insurance, and regional equity.