X-Ray Cost in Israel
What residents pay through Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet and Leumit, how referrals and commitment forms work, and what tourists and non-members pay privately. Last reviewed October 2026.
Short answer: how much is an X-ray in Israel?
For residents, an X-ray is covered by the national health basket through your kupat holim (Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet or Leumit) when your doctor refers you; you pay at most the quarterly specialist co-pay (roughly ₪20–50) where it applies. Tourists and people without a kupah pay privately — approximately ₪300–600 (≈$100–$195) for a chest X-ray, and up to about ₪900 at premium private hospitals. These private figures are indicative; ask the clinic for its current price.
Quick Overview
Under the National Health Insurance Law (1994), every Israeli resident must belong to one of four health funds — Clalit (the largest), Maccabi, Meuhedet or Leumit. The funds must provide the government-defined health basket (sal briut), which includes diagnostic imaging: X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI when medically indicated. Funding comes from the health tax collected by Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) — about 3.1% of income up to a threshold and 5% above it — plus the state budget. Most residents also buy their fund's supplementary insurance (shaban), which mainly speeds up access to private specialists and MRI rather than changing the cost of a plain X-ray.
🏥 Basic basket (kupat holim)
- Referral (hafnaya) from your kupah doctor
- Done at a fund clinic, contracted institute or hospital
- Commitment form (hitchayvut) for hospital imaging
- Quarterly specialist co-pay where applicable
➕ Supplementary (shaban)
- Clalit Mushlam; Maccabi Zahav and Sheli
- Meuhedet Adif and Si; Leumit Kesef and Zahav
- Private institutes and doctors at reduced co-pays
- Monthly premium varies by age and tier
🩻 Private / non-residents
- Tourists, foreign workers without cover, returning residents in a waiting period
- Private clinics and urgent-care centres
- Assuta, Herzliya Medical Center at the top of the range
- Same-day service
What You Pay for an X-Ray in Israel (2026)
For residents the X-ray itself is covered, so the table shows what you typically pay in each situation. Private prices for non-residents are indicative ranges that could not be checked against a published price list for this update — always ask for a quote.
| Situation | What you pay (₪) | USD (≈) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents with a kupat holim | |||
| Chest, hand/wrist, ankle/foot, knee, spine, pelvis or abdomen X-ray with referral | Covered | $0 | Basic basket; specialist visit co-pay may apply |
| Specialist visit that leads to the X-ray | ≈₪20–50 per quarter | $7–$16 | Varies by fund; exemptions for some groups |
| CT or MRI with referral | Covered | $0 | Commitment form needed; MRI waits can be long |
| Faster MRI via supplementary insurance | Plan co-pay | — | Set by your fund's supplementary plan |
| Dental panoramic (OPG), adult | Paid privately | — | Children's dental care (to 18) is in the basket |
| Non-residents / no kupah (approximate) | |||
| Chest X-ray at a private clinic or urgent-care centre | ≈₪300–600 | $100–$195 | Doctor's fee often extra |
| Limb, joint or spine X-ray | ≈₪300–700 | $100–$230 | More views cost more |
| X-ray at a premium private hospital | ≈₪500–900+ | $165–$295+ | e.g. Assuta, Herzliya Medical Center |
| Hospital emergency department | Billed per visit | — | Non-residents are billed the ED fee plus tests |
USD at approximately ₪3.07 = $1 (October 2026). Co-pays are updated periodically by each fund; check yours in the fund's app. Private prices are indicative.
How Kupat Holim Coverage Works
The four health funds
- Clalit — largest fund, owns many general hospitals (e.g. Beilinson, Soroka)
- Maccabi — second largest; owns the private Assuta Medical Centers network
- Meuhedet and Leumit — smaller nationwide funds
- All must provide the same basic basket
Funding and eligibility
- Health tax via Bituach Leumi: about 3.1% of income up to a threshold, 5% above
- All residents, including new immigrants from aliyah
- Returning residents may face a waiting period unless arrears/fees are paid
- Tourists and many foreign workers are outside the system (workers need employer-provided private insurance)
How to get an X-ray
- See your family doctor or specialist (in person or online)
- Get a referral and, if needed, a commitment form through the app
- Book at the fund's imaging centre or contracted hospital
- Results and images appear in the fund's app or portal
Where to Get an X-Ray
🏥 Public and fund hospitals
- Sheba Medical Center (Tel HaShomer) — Ramat Gan
- Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center
- Hadassah Medical Center — Jerusalem
- Rambam Health Care Campus — Haifa
- Soroka (Be'er Sheva) and Beilinson/Rabin (Petah Tikva) — Clalit
🩻 Fund clinics and private centres
- Imaging departments in the funds' large community clinics
- Contracted private imaging institutes
- Assuta Medical Centers and Herzliya Medical Center (private)
- Private urgent-care centres such as Terem, used by many tourists
💡 Practical tips
- Get the referral and commitment form before booking
- Use your fund's contracted provider to avoid charges
- For urgent problems, urgent-care centres are faster than ED
- Download images from the fund's app for follow-up
Guide by Patient Type
🇮🇱 Residents
- X-ray covered with a referral
- Watch the quarterly specialist co-pay
- Supplementary insurance mainly helps for MRI and specialists
- You can switch funds via Bituach Leumi (limits on frequency apply)
🧳 Olim and returning residents
- Olim: register with a kupah right after aliyah
- Returning residents: check for a waiting period with Bituach Leumi
- Organisations such as Nefesh B'Nefesh help olim choose a fund
- English support varies by fund and clinic
✈️ Tourists
- Not covered by kupot holim — pay privately
- Budget approx. ₪300–900 for an X-ray
- Travel insurance with Israel cover recommended
- Keep the invoice and report for your claim
Practical Details
📋 What to bring
- Teudat zehut or passport
- Kupat holim card (or digital card)
- Referral and commitment form
- Previous images
- Credit card for co-pays or private fees
⏰ Typical wait times
- Emergency: immediate
- Fund X-ray: often same day or walk-in
- MRI via basic basket: can be weeks or months
- Private: same day
💡 How to save money
- Always get the referral first
- Use fund-contracted providers
- Check whether your group is exempt from co-pays
- Tourists: compare urgent-care centres with hospitals
FAQ
How much does an X-ray cost in Israel in 2026?
For Israeli residents, X-rays are part of the national health basket (sal briut) and are provided through your health fund — Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet or Leumit — when your doctor refers you, so you pay little or nothing beyond any visit co-pay. Tourists and others without a kupah pay private prices of approximately ₪300–600 (about $100–$195) for a chest X-ray, and up to roughly ₪900 at premium private hospitals.
כמה עולה צילום רנטגן? (How much does an X-ray cost?)
With a referral (הפניה) from your kupat holim doctor, a standard X-ray at a facility contracted by your fund is covered by the health basket. The main out-of-pocket cost is the quarterly co-payment for specialist visits where it applies (roughly ₪20–50 depending on the fund and visit). Without a kupah, private X-rays cost approximately ₪300–900.
Do I need a referral for an X-ray in Israel?
Yes, for covered X-rays you need a referral (hafnaya) from your family doctor or specialist, and in many cases a commitment form (התחייבות / hitchayvut) if the imaging is done at a hospital or outside provider. Most funds issue these digitally through their app or website.
Is MRI or CT covered by kupat holim?
Yes, CT and MRI are in the health basket when medically indicated, but they need a referral and often a commitment form, and waits for MRI can be long. Many people use supplementary insurance (shaban) or private insurance to get a faster MRI at a contracted private institute, paying a co-pay set by the plan.
Can tourists get an X-ray in Israel, and how much does it cost?
Yes. Tourists are not covered by the kupot holim, so they pay private prices — approximately ₪300–600 for a chest X-ray at private clinics or urgent-care centres and more at private hospitals such as Assuta or Herzliya Medical Center. Hospital emergency departments treat everyone, but non-residents are billed. Travel insurance that covers Israel is strongly recommended.
Are new immigrants (olim) covered for X-rays?
Yes. New immigrants are entitled to state health insurance from their aliyah and should register with a kupat holim (usually at the airport or through the Ministry of Aliyah and Bituach Leumi). Once registered, X-rays are covered on the same terms as for other residents.
Do returning residents pay for X-rays?
Israelis returning after a long period abroad may face a waiting period before their health insurance entitlement resumes, unless they pay the required arrears or fee to Bituach Leumi. During that period X-rays are charged privately, so check your status with Bituach Leumi before you return.
Does supplementary insurance (Mushlam, Zahav, Sheli) lower X-ray costs?
Plain X-rays are already covered by the basic basket, so supplementary plans matter mainly for faster MRI/CT at private institutes, a wider choice of providers and specialists, and dental services. Each fund offers tiers — Clalit Mushlam, Maccabi Zahav and Sheli, Meuhedet Adif and Si, Leumit Kesef and Zahav — with different co-pays.
Is a dental X-ray covered in Israel?
Dental care for children (up to age 18) is part of the health basket and includes needed X-rays at the funds' dental clinics. For adults, dental X-rays including panoramic films are generally paid privately or with discounts through supplementary insurance.
Compare X-Ray Costs Across Countries
Sources
- National Health Insurance Law, 5754-1994 — health basket and fund obligations
- Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) — health tax rates, registration, returning residents
- Ministry of Health — health basket (sal briut) and supplementary insurance information
- Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet and Leumit — referral, commitment form and co-payment information
- Nefesh B'Nefesh — health-fund guidance for olim
- Exchange rate: open.er-api.com, 12 October 2026
Last reviewed: October 2026. Co-pays and supplementary terms change; check with your fund. Private prices are indicative.