We've got too many hospitals, says health insurance chief
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Some 15 hospitals could close down in the Netherlands without patients being worse off, according to Wim van der Meeren, head of the CZ health insurance group.
Van der Meeren suggested making the closures in Tuesday's edition of television talk show Altijd Wat.
In particular, the bigger cities have too many hospitals, Van der Meeren said. Closing one hospital in Amsterdam, for example, would not make any difference to patient care.
CZ is the third-biggest health insurance group in the country, with 3.4 million policyholders.
Last September, health insurance companies called for a sharp reduction in the number of hospital accident and emergency departments because of rising healthcare costs.
Is closing hospitals a way to cut the rise in the cost of healthcare? Have your say using the comment form below.
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And of course insurance companies have our best interests at heart. Pffft.
By CW | 11 July 2012 10:05 AMyes, clearly healh insurance profits need to be prioritized over patient care.
By Robert | 11 July 2012 10:44 AMNever mind the health care, when there is a profit margin to care for.
By @CluthaDubh | 11 July 2012 11:06 AMWe also have far too many 'executives' working in healthcare, no wonder it has become expensive. I dont think the quality of medical care will suffer if we sack a few of these executives do you?
By Sir Charles Moore | 11 July 2012 12:13 PMFully agree with with Sir Charles Moore. We have too many Insurance companies - specially considering they ALL OFFER THE SAME - what about rationalizing and making more effective this socialistic health insurance system - or actually allowing diversification of the offer to make it really competitive. If somebody out there knows of Insurance Companies that pay for treatments done anywhere in the EU I'm very interested to get info.
By G.CT | 11 July 2012 2:23 PMIt bewilders me how the main goal of health is to save money. Insurance companies are the next banking crisis.
By Anne Onymous | 13 July 2012 12:39 AM