The biggest reduction was among children up to the age of 4 and adults over the age of 75; the number of visits among the latter group dropped 60 percent.

Meanwhile on Sunday, representatives of the four public health funds presented 250,000 signatures to Cabinet Secretary Dan Naveh to demand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal intervention in their precarious financial situation.

A recent Gallup-Israel poll found that 83 percent of the public identify with their insurers in their struggle for more funds.

The petitions urge Netanyahu to carry out the government's commitment to supply the funds needed for the basket of health services mandated by the National Health Insurance Law.

Because of severe deficits, all the health funds have cut back services.