Hospitals take on health insurers to thwart closure plans
Friday 15 June 2012
Nearly half of the Netherlands' hospitals are joining forces to put together a healthcare policy that will see off plans by the big health insurance companies to close some sites.
According to the Telegraaf, 42 of the 90 hospitals and a small health insurer are working on a new policy under a new association for cooperation between hospitals, the SAZ.
Large health insurers such as CZ, Achmea and Menzis say there are too many hospitals in the Netherlands. They want to close half of them and concentrate care in the rest to bring down costs.
The SAZ says this is the wrong approach, says the Telegraaf. They say costs will only be driven down with more cooperation between hospitals. Only then will healthcare be 'good quality, close to the patient and affordable'.
SAZ chairman Binso Wymenga told the paper: 'We do not want a war with the large health insurers, but we do want to make clear that concentration is not the way to go.'
What the new policy will cover and its cost has not yet been announced.
© DutchNews.nl
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My long term view is that we have a huge amount of people heading towards retirement and old age care very quickly (this is all over the news for everyone to see). I think we will need all these hospitals and even more in the coming 10 to 20 years. This idea from the privatized health care companies to 'concentrate' health care looks like a very short term way to make and retain profit; and making profit is all they really think about folks, not your health.
By Bill | 15 June 2012 9:28 AMThis is a good idea of the Dutch hospitals to join their forces together and work on a better alternative health care policy and at the same time take a stand against the powerful insurance companies who are keeping the Dutch health care system at their mercy.
By maria | 15 June 2012 2:32 PMI do agree 90 hospitals in such a small country they are too many a few will do with better quality.So many people have abused the kindness of the insurance companies by claiming false sickness.
By gloria | 15 June 2012 7:36 PMThe health care & age care system will collapse because people no longer have enough babies, soon there will be 1 young person for every 10 older person. Immigration can't fix this because immigrants age too. Social unrest & countries collapsing is Europes future.
By phil | 16 June 2012 1:23 PMMoney at the direct expense of all those working inside those hospitals (and there are not enough of them either) and the population as a whole. Some nitwit (I think it was Hoogervorst then Staatsecretaris van Sociale Zaken (like an undersecretary) once said that he wanted the American system supplanted here. Criminal. If this plan succeeds we might better emigrate to either Belgium which has cheaper health care and insurance and does not have waiting lists or Germany (ditto).
By Abigail | 16 June 2012 2:40 PMI was always under the impression that Dutch health care was a Nationally funded program, much as it is in Canada, and payed for through their taxes. Can someone tell me how the health system is funded in the Netherlands. Thank you.
By abdikens | 17 June 2012 6:17 AMabdikens: All residents must purchase a private health insurance plan which costs at least 100 euros per month per person with at least a 250 euro deductable.
What is better about it, speaking as a former Ontario resident, is that you can get adult dental coverage which isn't possible under OHIP.
By CW | 18 June 2012 10:51 AM