DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

8 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Small health insurance company boss accuses big four of trying to silence him

December 1, 2014

doctor euros healthcare costThe head of a small, independent health insurance company has become involved in a major spat with the health insurance association ZN, which he claims is trying to silence him.

Chris Oomen, director of the DSW insurance company, has been written to by the head of ZN and told to stop sounding off about the practices of the big four insurance companies, the Telegraaf reports.

The letter exchange took place this spring but has just been made public.

Oomen claims the big four insurance groups (Achmea, VGZ, CZ en Menzis) have too much power and are destroying the principles of solidarity on which the Dutch system is based.

After outlining his concerns in an open letter, Oomen received a letter from ZN chief André Rouvoet telling him to stop contradicting the official ZN position. Oomen told the Telegraaf on Monday they are ‘trying to silence a dissident’.

‘The aim of the health insurance legislation is to stimulate market forces, competition and lower costs,’ he told the paper. ‘90% of people are insured via the big four, who operate as a cartel.’

The big insurers, he said, want to get rid of the notion of free choice of doctors. ‘Healthcare providers who don’t have a contract [with an insurance company] are being squeezed out,’ he said. ‘Patients are being forced to go to a provider that they would not choose themselves.’

See also: Concern for patients is skin deep

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Health
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Burkina Faso detains Dutch NGO workers on espionage charges
Two DNA matches found Amsterdam sex worker cold case
Number of millionaire households in NL hits new record
"Consumer law builds trust, is the grease of the economy"
VVD senator quits, says party has drifted from its core values
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now