Kupat Holim Meuhedet today announced that it was not merging with Leumit Health Fund. Meuhedet was responding to press reports about advanced merger negotiations.
Meuhedet stated, “The recent reports about an ostensible merger with Leumit Health Fund and Kupat Holim Meuhedet were made without the knowledge or consent of the Kupat Holim Meuhedet management… In contrast to the reports, no official proposal has been submitted to Kupat Holim Meuhedet that could be evaluated. There were certainly no negotiations between the health funds.”
Nevertheless, “Globes” has obtained information, confirmed by Leumit Health Fund chairman Michael Zoller and sources at the Ministry of Health, that Zoller and Kupat Holim Meuhedet managing director Uzi Salant held a number of meetings in the past two weeks to discuss a possible merger.
It is now clear that Meuhedet’s management is furious about the negotiations, which were not coordinated in advance with it.
Health systems sources believe the reports about the negotiations angered members of Meuhedet’s institutions, who were unaware of them.
Leumit’s management said they were unwilling to respond to the Meuhedet’s statement at this time.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 17, 2003