Dear Aviva,
I see a specialist outside of my kupah and am being charged for a hitchayavut each time! I thought I should be charged once a quarter, did the rules change?
Sincerely,
Doomed to repeat my hitchayvut??
Dear Doomed,
Just to clarify, a hitchayvut is required for any service conducted outside the auspices of the kupat cholim for which the kupah agrees to pay. This includes certain imaging tests and specialists whose expertise falls outside the scope of those specialists employed, or subcontracted, by the kupah. Often, people see these specialists privately, getting partially reimbursed if they have the supplementary kupah insurance. However, in your case, it would seem that the specialist you are seeing offers a specialty that the kupah cannot provide, and therefore they are obligating themselves to provide it to you. However, as this is not a kupah service, it is not covered under quarterly charges.
Yours in Health,
Aviva
Ask Aviva #8: How much will it cost me to go to a private doctor?