Treating Child Developmental Disorders, Ages 0-3

Who is eligible?

Children ages 0-3 who have been diagnosed and evaluated within the child development program.

What does Maccabi provide?

One diagnosis every calendar year.

Therapies and counseling:

Speech therapy
Occupational therapy
Physiotherapy
Social work
Psychology
Nutritional counseling
The type of care and number of sessions will depend on the diagnosis and the medical staff’s decision.

Additional options

How much does it cost?

Free of charge.

Where is the service provided?

• At Maccabi’s child development institutes.

• At child development institutes within public hospitals.
• At centers and with therapists affiliated with Maccabi.

Next steps

• Contact a pediatrician or family doctor for an initial diagnosis. Based on the diagnosis, it will be decided whether multiple referrals (for services such as communication clinics, physical therapy, or occupational therapy) at a child development institute are needed, or if only a referral for occupational therapy is needed.
• After receiving the doctor’s referral, complete a questionnaire according to your child's age and send it to the designated kindergarten or school teacher. If the referral is for occupational therapy, you must also complete the "Participation in Daily Activities" questionnaire for your child.
• Send the questionnaires to the appropriate institute. Submitting all relevant questionnaires is a necessary condition to proceed with treatment.
• The diagnostic report from the attending physician will be available via Maccabi Online after it is received from the child development institute. Please print the diagnosis and bring it to the therapist.

Important information

• A referral for a diagnostic session will be given with prior approval based on the the child development institute’s professional assessment.
• While the health plan does not limit the amount of sessions permitted, the number of sessions provided will be determined at the professional team’s discretion.
• Hydrotherapy will be offered in place of physical therapy only with prior approval from institute staffs.
• A kindergarten visit or a discussion with parents, as recommended by the staff, is also counted as a session.
• If necessary, you can save the questionnaires as PDF files on your computer, fill them out and send them directly from your computer, or print them, fill them out manually, and send them by email or fax according to the instructions in the files.

Families living abroad and visiting Israel for short periods - Please contact the child development institute three months in advance to schedule an appointment during your stay.

Waiting periods for diagnoses and treatments

According to Ministry of Health guidelines, the maximum wait time for diagnosis and commencement of treatment begins from the first referral and varies based on the child's age and professional considerations.

• Children under one year old will be accepted for diagnosis and treatment within 3 months.
• Children above one year old will be accepted for diagnosis and treatment within 4 months.
• Children over age 4 or those with a disability requiring specialized care (such as speech occupational, or physical therapy) will be accepted for treatment in child development units recognized by the Ministry of Health or referred to external providers affiliated with Maccabi within 5 months.

Refunds

Refunds will be granted under the following conditions:

• Only after a professional opinion according to the type of requested treatment
• Only for professionals approved by Maccabi, per Ministry of Health licensing and guidelines
• Refunds for private treatment will be equivalent to the treatment cost at the corresponding Ministry of Health rates, minus the deductible. No refund will be provided for an amount exceeding the actual treatment cost
• If the request is approved, a tax receipt/invoice must be submitted to receive the reimbursement. It should include the member's name, therapist's name and license number, treatment type, and session dates
• Children under 3 years old, children with somatic symptom disorder, and Maccabi members eligible for income support benefits are exempt from the deductible
• Refunds for treatments covered by supplementary insurance will be based on the rates specified in the supplementary insurance policy.