Zorgverzekeraars Nederland (ZN) is against the government's plans to abolish global health insurance coverage. Dutch people who will soon be traveling outside Europe will no longer be insured for medically necessary care through their basic insurance, unless they fall under one of the complicated exceptions.
The cabinet expects a saving of 60 million euros; that would amount to 2 euros less health care premium per insured person per year. But the health insurers have serious doubts whether the savings can be achieved in practice. Petra van Holst, General Manager of Health Insurers Netherlands: “The amendment to the law is not in the interest of the insured. Due to the various exceptions, it may become more complicated and perhaps more difficult for some Dutch people to insure themselves for medical care outside Europe. We expect that the complex rules in the new law will lead to more bureaucracy and extra costs.”
Since the introduction of the Health Insurance Act in 2006, every Dutch person (regardless of income, age or health) is insured for the same medically necessary care; both in the Netherlands and abroad. Health insurers in the Netherlands believe that the current global coverage functions well. The cabinet wants to abolish this global coverage, but at the same time makes exceptions for some groups. For example, people who travel abroad for work remain insured through their basic insurance. Care in certain treaty countries will also continue to be reimbursed via the basic insurance. The health insurers expect that these complicated rules will lead to more bureaucracy and are concerned about the risk of underinsurance, errors and fraud increasing.
According to the health insurers, policyholders are not waiting for new complicated rules, especially when you need medical care abroad. The health insurers therefore plead in a letter to the House of Representatives for the retention of the current worldwide coverage in the basic insurance.
Source: Health insurers in the Netherlands
“…The health insurers expect these complicated rules to lead to more bureaucracy and are concerned about the likelihood of underinsurance, errors and fraud increasing….”
That's finally good news. But do both chambers agree to this? Because politicians all too often consist of 'self-employed people' who themselves determine how the pagers are put on the table.
Good to see that the health insurers are taking a clear and negative position. Frankly, I was under the impression that the initiative for the abolition of global cover came from the insurers, but that turns out to be otherwise.
This has been the case for Belgians for a long time for those who stay outside Europe for more than 3 months EXCEPT for Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians and Turks for whom there is a bilateral agreement. Understand who can. For trips of less than 3 months, as far as I know, only the Christian mutuality still covers its members outside Europe. The socialist mutuality has already abolished this I think since 2012 and the liberal mutuality since January 1 of this year.
The socialist mutuality (De Voorzorg) covers through Mutas the first 3 months and with exception even longer! So according to their latest update it is still the case and not abolished!
Article 1 of the Constitution formulates a standard that the government must adhere to towards citizens, namely the equal treatment of equal cases.
That will not apply to people who go on holiday outside Europe.
Constitution Kingdom of the Netherlands:
Article 1.
All who are in the Netherlands are treated equally in equal cases. Discrimination on the basis of religion, belief, political opinion, race, gender or on any other basis is not permitted.
In other words, as soon as you leave the Netherlands, Article 1 no longer applies.
I'm probably making a misinterpretation, but that's about it.
When I left NL 5 years ago one of the first things I was made aware of was that I would lose my health insurance.
When I read the piece above, I get the impression that every Dutch person, anywhere in the world, is simply supposed to be able to keep his health insurance?????
Who invents what here?
Yes, you read that right,
Every Dutch person living in the Netherlands can use the Worldwide coverage.
It does have hooks and eyes. A Dutch couple on holiday in Spain thought they were well insured. Man falls ill in hospital in Spain, etc. It turned out that if they had had good additional insurance and travel insurance, they would not be left with a debt of more than 5 thousand euros. And if you use it in Thailand, make sure everything is specified and in English. So 10 types of drugs 10 lines with what it costs.
Not an amount they don't accept.
I can already see the red tape and the opportunity for health insurers in rejecting claims: “Did you go outside Europe for business? Have you applied for a business visa? No, a tourist visa! Then you are not insured.” And everything afterwards of course.
Just like VGZ, which rejected invoices from Bumrungrad - after they had initially only written: advance there, declare here" - because: a) they could not read the invoice, it was in Thai + English, b) the invoice was not specified enough found (up to a set of needles for € 1,25) and ultimately: ineffective care (that of a Thai specialist, who gives demos all over the world about new developments in his field. )
It is interesting what someone recently put forward here: If the costs are high, an insurance company may investigate whether you are complying with the conditions. For example, whether you live in the Netherlands for 4 months a year and do not keep one or the other postal address. If not, people actually emigrate and they are no longer entitled to the relatively cheap basic insurance. They really do find out. Nowadays they can find out everything. The intention is then to recover extremely high costs from the insured.
A broken leg won't be a reason for them. A serious accident with permanent disability as a result, for example.
I read that someone here suggested this in relation to another, relevant, topic.
Finally something sensible again and let's hope that they are also listened to.
Well,
That would be good news for everyone who lives partly in the Netherlands, partly in Thailand.
The savings are of course pinuts, 60 million, every Dutch person 2 euros, what are they talking about.
And I can already see lawsuits being conducted for those costs.
Pay premiums, but are not insured.
That will save me.
Now both rooms are left and we can spend the winter without any worries
And do I not have to pay a premium if I am not entitled to basic insurance?
Does Thailand also belong to the certain treaty countries that still retain the reimbursement/coverage???
No Thailand is not a “treaty country” within the meaning of the Healthcare Act.
These are only EU countries and a few other countries that have a special bond with the Netherlands, such as Turkey and Morocco, where many retired and WAO-entitled "ex-guest workers" live.
The attitude of the Netherlands towards Dutch people who retire from the Netherlands has always been very negative. I do not believe that a “move” will ever be made that is positive for the Dutch pensioners living in Thailand or wintering over. And given the vulnerability of this group: (Old age and exclusions) they will most likely be the victims of any future regulation.
If you were no longer insured abroad, hardly anyone would be able to go abroad after the age of 70. If you are not covered by the basic insurance, you will have to insure the risk yourself. If that were to succeed, it will be against exorbitant premiums and you will soon run into all kinds of exclusions.
I think that is very correct. Changing insurance at an advanced age is almost impossible because of possible exclusions, refusal of insurance because one is “too old” (this limit is different for different international insurers) and because absurd prices are charged anyway.
The fact that the cost of living is lower in many “sunny and cheap holiday and retirement countries” does not make up for this and it will become impossible to live outside the Netherlands (or the EU) after retirement.
In the past, those with higher incomes usually had no problem with their private insurance; the insurance was often also valid abroad. But in 2006, with the introduction of the Healthcare Act, all private health insurance was canceled and already then several retired Dutch people had to return to the Netherlands (also from within the EU) because re-insurance was not possible or too expensive.
The same is now about to happen and is also reinforced because the income side is under pressure and/or is being put under pressure, such as the exchange rate of the Baht, which means that people no longer meet the income requirements set by Thai immigration, local inflation and restrictions. AOW and WAO benefits, and plans by the Dutch government to levy tax on pensions at source. There is less and less benefit to be gained from which the extra costs can be paid.
When spending the winter, the travel costs may just be offset by the benefit of living costs, but it is much more unlikely if the fixed costs increase due to the risk of additional healthcare costs and required additional insurance.
The fact that the health insurers are now against the government's proposal can only mean one thing that they are making good money from it, despite the administrative hassle. It is important for the government that the pension income of Dutch people is spent in the Netherlands.
The Dutch government is very short-sighted in this regard, because returning Dutch people will rely on healthcare costs, rental subsidies, additional assistance for incomplete state pensions, and benefits that are not paid abroad. The question is whether it will yield anything net.
Not to mention the social consequences, in the Netherlands it is expected that retirees are couples or singles, in Thailand it is very common that they have a family with small children.
Hans van Mourik says
I think there is tonight at 18.45:XNUMX. NT a plenary debate can also be followed live.
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/vergaderingen/plenaire_vergaderingen
TODAY – JUNE 1, 2016
Plenary debate18:45
Amendments to the Healthcare Insurance Act, the Healthcare Market Regulation Act and the Social Insurance Financing Act in connection with cross-border healthcare (34 333)
Indeed, finally some good news, and let's just hope that the chamber listens after that, and doesn't assume that people travel abroad to get sick there.
So people pay attention to which parties vote for and which parties vote against, because next year we can vote.
60 million savings, well forget that government in NL. The implementation costs of these plans are going to eat up at least half of that savings.
The other half, and more, will be eaten up by the anticipation of people holidaying or wintering outside the EU without a supplementary policy.
How? Simple, you come to the heart doctor, say in Thailand, for an emergency, yes, this one says, your operation will cost 2 million Thb. If the uninsured patient says, doctor, can you not give me a few tablets or injections, then I will quickly fly back to NL for the treatment you have proposed. Well says the Thai doctor, if that is your wish, the risk is yours.
However, the postponement of that treatment and the flight back did not do the patient any good and the costs of care in the Netherlands are much higher. Why savings?
In many other cases, uninsured people will do the same, have things fixed in the holiday country to bridge the gap for survival and then have the treatment carried out in the Netherlands. And then things really get out of hand because of that delay, well then people just go into the Wao or Social Assistance?! Saving with this law, forget it.
All this for a saving of 2 Euro per person per year? NL how do you manage to mess that up. It does not seem to be the health insurers, perhaps it is the travel insurers who will certainly charge many times more for the supplementary policy for travelers outside the EU.
I live in Thailand, so it is none of my business, except for family and friends who come to us from NL, but I would say Dutch people watch your case and protest against this change en masse.
Success.
Nico B
And that while there are negotiations between Dutch insurers and Thai private hospitals to reduce waiting lists with heart patients by having treatments carried out in Thailand. So it could just be that the man from your imaginative example flies back a month later.
I fear that the embassy is also not waiting for sick Dutch people in Thailand who refuse to be treated on the spot for cost reasons, but are too injured to be accepted on the plane for repatriation
It is urgent what will and will not remain in the basic package. This has been coming for a while because politicians and many people want to spend less money on people who can go abroad 'experiently'. They can therefore also take an extra package in addition to their basic insurance is the thought. I think many Dutch people who do not get further than Europe are in favor of scrapping the worldwide cover and having it paid in an additional policy. The opinion about world travelers/world inhabitants is not really positive. Why do I have to pay for those people who only cost? I hear it regularly. Jealousy will find many of you. But something that is happening in the Netherlands.
It concerns the amendment Leijten, of the SP.
.
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/detail?id=2016D22392
.
Considering
-that it is not politically correct to take into account the interests of Dutch people abroad
-that maintaining the legal status of Dutch citizens is not a spearhead policy
-that no more effective austerity measures can be devised than to make citizens continue to pay for something they are not allowed to use
Will the House of Representatives reject the amendment?
the members go back to the order of the day,
and if your pants fall off this, may you
in accordance with the intention of the amendment to the law, to detain him entirely himself.
Finally a good message now let's hope people are listening.
Savings forget it.
Many people look for warmth in the winter because it is better for their health, such as rheumatism, etc. If it becomes impossible for these people to hibernate because of the costs, they will stay in the cold Netherlands and their complaints will increase sharply again, resulting in that more healthcare costs are incurred instead of 60 million less
Those who live outside Europe are being bullied again, although this rule has been in Belgium for a long time. In the early 2000s I also had to take out special insurance for outside Europe, but in the meantime a lot has changed in the Netherlands. With the new Dutch? Who also enjoy everything like in Belgium, most benefit from us, but yes the politicians have allowed all that. And we are the victims of it, next step no more pension or half but outside Europe??? I always like to listen to the song of the strangers of the sick cash, and that left you so old. Then you understand, the whole of Europe is dead!
Welcome to the Netherlands, the country where you are completely sucked out, now there is no longer any coverage outside Europe if it is up to father. And the deductible is expected to rise again by more than 20% for the 2017 health insurance. Time for us to start protesting more real, just like in France and Belgium, and not just on Facebook and among each other in the canteen and on birthdays!
Why isn't there just a complete worldwide complete with everything on total health insurance, then no more ANWB insurance for 200 to 250 euros per month for a maximum of 8 months, then the government will be happy with their extra money and we will soon be able to enjoy ourselves without it in our old age? worry anyway
Just keep in mind that the creatures that sit in this government have any kind of humanity in them. Slowly but surely we are being led like lemmings by these politicians in the Netherlands, the EU, the Bilderberg group. That restriction will come one way or another. Maybe not immediately, but later and then you can insure yourself for a lot of money with an insurance company.
It is pure discrimination, but pay for all healthcare costs of Jan and Ibrahim etc, but if you go to the Thai sun for a few months, you are suddenly no longer insured, while the costs of a normal Thai hospital are well below those of the Netherlands. Real Dutch people are increasingly discriminated against.
I will probably not be able to do the math, but if it is 2 euros per Dutch person, will there be 30 million paying insured? I think something is being told just right
20 euros per insured person per year or 2 euros per month will be closer to the truth in that case
but since when does this government favor the voters?
Expenses in Thailand!! Example costs in Thailand for hemodialysis are approximately Baht 2.000 including injections. In the Netherlands, the same hemodialysis costs approximately €700. Calculate the insurance benefit and I can provide more examples.
Again, they only have to insure you if you remain a Dutch citizen and are therefore registered here. This means that people have to live in the Netherlands for about 4 months a year. For example, if one is in need of care at the level of care institutions, then in my opinion one cannot stay in Thailand, or one would have to go to a Dutch care institution 4 months a year. I once inquired about a possible future relocation to Thailand.
Would like to know if it was possible to take out insurance for the whole year if I lived in Thailand for 12 months a year.
I was immediately sent deregistration papers. You are going to emigrate. You will therefore have to deregister with us. I hadn't mentioned emigrating at all.
Not that I need care, on the contrary, I still work in the Netherlands as a 62 year old.
But people are thinking about the future. Will I still buy a house? In the Netherlands that seems questionable to me at this age. I think also in Thailand. If chronic health problems arise, which is very conceivable at my age, I must be able to go back and take my money with me immediately without it being tied up in a house or land. After all, as far as I have learned, the insurer will not pay for a permanent stay of a Dutch person in need of care in Thailand