Tai Chi and Qigong: Healing Movement and Wellness

You've seen a group in the park moving slowly and in sync, and wondered whether it's "just" relaxation or a real workout — and whether the HMO even subsidizes something like this. Tai chi and qigong are two ancient Chinese practices that combine slow movement, mindful breathing, and concentration, and in recent decades they've been studied widely as health-supporting practices — especially for balance, flexibility, and mental wellbeing. This article explains the difference between the two, what the research actually says, and how to check whether you have a funding or subsidy route through the HMO or your insurance.

What tai chi is, and what qigong is

Tai chi (tai chi chuan) originally developed as a martial art, and over the years became mainly a health practice based on a sequence of slow, flowing, continuous movements that transition from posture to posture while maintaining deep breathing and body awareness. Several historical styles exist, differing in the speed of practice and the complexity of the sequence.

Qigong is a broader term describing an entire family of breathing, gentle movement, and concentration exercises, whose traditional purpose is to regulate the flow of "qi" (life energy, according to traditional Chinese medicine). Unlike tai chi, which tends to be a fixed, defined sequence, qigong is often taught as separate exercises that can be practiced individually, which sometimes makes it more accessible to beginners. In practice, many clinics and classes in Israel teach the two together or under the same framework, so it's worth asking exactly what a given class includes before signing up.

What the research says about the health benefits

The body of research on tai chi and qigong is fairly broad, and most of the strongest evidence relates to improved balance and reduced fall risk, mainly among older adults — relevant also to anyone looking into senior health insurance. Alongside that there are positive reports on flexibility, posture, reduced mental stress, and improved sleep quality. The effect on measures such as blood pressure, chronic pain, or cardiopulmonary function is less consistent across studies, so it's accurate to treat this practice as supporting wellness and a healthy lifestyle, alongside conventional medical care — not as a replacement for it.

Anyone looking for a similarly slow, movement-and-breath-based complementary practice may also be interested in therapeutic pilates and yoga or mindfulness and meditation, which are sometimes grouped under the same family of שב״ן wellness services.

Who it suits, and who should check first

One of tai chi's notable advantages is that its movements are relatively slow and controlled, which sometimes makes it more accessible than most aerobic fitness activities — including for people recovering from an injury, post-surgery, or living with mobility limitations. That said, "slow" doesn't automatically mean "suitable for everyone": anyone who recently had surgery, has an active orthopedic issue, or is in a rehabilitation process should get approval from their treating doctor or physiotherapist before joining a class, and make sure the instructor is aware of the specific limitations.

How a tai chi or qigong class is funded in Israel

In terms of funding, tai chi and qigong usually fall into one of two categories:

• HMO wellness classes — some HMOs run tai chi or qigong classes at health centers or community centers, sometimes at a discount for those enrolled in שב״ן. Availability varies greatly between HMOs, between branches, and sometimes by season.
• A complementary-medicine service rider — supplementary policies that cover a defined list of complementary-medicine practitioners, usually with an annual reimbursement cap. It's important to check whether tai chi or qigong even appear on your specific rider's recognized practitioner list — not every service rider includes them, even if it covers similar areas like naturopathy or shiatsu.

It's also worth checking whether the instructor leading the class holds the certification your insurer requires, since some service riders condition reimbursement on presenting the practitioner's certification.

How to check this in your own policy

Before enrolling in a class and expecting reimbursement, it's worth locating in your documents:

• Whether your שב״ן includes wellness classes, and if so, whether tai chi or qigong are on the currently active list.
• Whether you have a complementary-medicine service rider, and whether tai chi or qigong appear on its recognized treatment list.
• What the annual reimbursement cap is, and what copay applies per session, if any.

How Ravit can help

Instead of searching through the policy pages yourself, you can send Ravit your שב״ן and service-rider documents on WhatsApp and ask whether tai chi or qigong are covered for you. Ravit answers based on your own documents, points to the relevant clause, and when there's no certainty, it says so clearly instead of guessing.

The information in this article is general only and does not constitute medical, insurance, legal, or pension advice, and is not a substitute for reading your policy terms or consulting a licensed professional. Coverage, amounts, and conditions vary between policies and change over time — always verify against your own specific policy and an authorized professional.