Small health insurance companies DSW, Zorg en Zekerheid and De Friesland had the best record at tracking down fraudulent and incorrect invoices in 2012, says the Dutch health authority.

Most health insurance companies failed to reach targets on counteracting fraud, the NZa said.

DSW, a small regional company with just 2.5% of the market, managed to identify almost as much fraud as the rest of the insurance companies put together over 2011’s invoices.

Shortcomings

A spokesman for Achmea, one of the biggest Dutch health insurance companies, admitted the shortcomings but said much has improved since 2012 – the year the survey figures were taken.

In addition, it is easier for a regional health insurer to monitor invoices because they have been sent by fewer hospitals, the spokesman said.

Fraud is considered to be a major problem in the Dutch health service and could account for up to €5bn in extra spending a year, experts have calculated.