From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 31, 2024
High Court issues stay until April 10 for plan to end health care for Ukrainian refugees
Renee Ghert-Zand is the health reporter and a feature writer for The Times of Israel.
Today’s deadline set by the government to end health care coverage for Ukrainian refugees is passing thanks to a stay issued by the Supreme Court.
Following two appeals to the Supreme Court in 2023 demanding the continuation of coverage for the approximately 10,000 Ukrainians who fled here after the Russian invasion of their country in February 2022, the state agreed to extend funding until today’s date.
A third appeal has been submitted to the Supreme Court by Physicians for Human Rights Israel, Assaf – Aid Organization for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel, Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, HIAS and several other human rights organizations.
Prof. Nadav Davidovitch, director of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s School of Public Health, Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of Israel’s Association of Public Health Physicians and two patients are also parties to the appeal.
The appellants claim that new proposed regulations and promises by the Health Ministry for health coverage for refugees and asylum seekers will not provide coverage for Ukrainians who are not children or over 65.
The Court has given the government until April 10 to respond. In the meantime, it must continue to provide all required medical care for the refugees, including scheduled surgeries and procedures.
