Israelis do not have access to free medical care or organ donations in the US

Since war broke out between Israel and Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip in October, the U.S. More than $180 million in aid was awarded To Israel.

Recent online postings suggest that in addition to aid to Israel, Israeli citizens will receive free medical services in the United States, including but not limited to priority placement on transplant lists to receive organ donations. .

1 post on X Videos with millions of views include: TikTok videos “Israelis have access to free medical care in the United States and can receive organs before Americans.”

Another post says:“Israelis can fly to the United States and receive medical procedures, including organ donations, for free in the United States, whereas Americans have to pay for the same procedures and are denied free medical care. mosquito?”

the commenter wondered. If available every truth That claim.

Can Israeli citizens receive free medical care and priority organ transplants in the United States?

No, Israeli citizens do not receive free medical care or priority organ transplants in the United States

Israeli citizens traveling to the United States for medical care do not receive free treatment. Nor do they have any special status that prioritizes them for transplants or other services ahead of American patients based solely on their nationality.

When someone travels to another country to receive medical care, that type of travel is known as medical tourism.by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)“Most medical travelers pay for treatment at the time of service.”

of National Institutes of Health (NIH) It also states that to obtain a medical tourist visa, international travelers “must provide documentation demonstrating that they have sufficient funds to cover the costs of visiting and leaving the United States.”

Wendy Permuta professor at Northeastern University’s Center for Health Policy and Law, told VERIFY that he is not aware of any federal program that provides free health care to Israeli citizens, as the viral post claims.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a private, nonprofit organization that manages the United States’ organ donation and transplantation system. To tell Non-citizens can receive organ transplants through the U.S. health care system, but they must still pay the medical costs.

UNOS told VERIFY that non-U.S. citizens must follow the same procedures as U.S. citizens to receive an organ transplant. As the post alleges, neither Israeli citizens nor citizens of other countries receive preferential treatment for transplantation.

“Organs are allocated based on medical urgency, biological match between donor and recipient, waiting time, and other medical and logistical factors. Social factors are not taken into account,” UNOS said. said.

According to UNOS data, of the 46,630 transplants performed in the United States in 2023, only 30 were from Israel.

According to , Israel has universal health insurance for its citizens, which is provided through four major healthcare providers. Israeli National Health Insurance Law. Treatments performed overseas are usually not covered by these medical institutions, but Some people will give you a refund In some cases, patients too.

Some states provide medical benefits to illegal immigrants, but this is not related to Israeli citizens traveling to the United States or those in the United States on temporary visas or green cards. is also applicable You can receive benefits through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but there is usually a five-year waiting list.