Preventative measures which reduce the likelihood of patients developing chronic conditions should be included in the basic healthcare insurance package, the health insurance board CVZ is set to tell health minister Ab Klink.

A spokesman for the board confirmed on Tuesday that some forms of treatment could be included in the standard healthcare package. The CVZ decides what treatment should be covered by insurance policies.
NOS news reports that the draft recommendations suggest, for example, that people who are overweight could be insured for weight-loss therapy which would help prevent them developing diabetes. The CVZ says prevention is an important weapon in cutting healthcare costs.
Insurers have so far been reluctant to embrace prevention, the NOS says, because it takes years to reap the rewards of their initial investment. In addition, premiums will have to rise to cover the treatment.
Should policyholders then switch to a cheaper insurer, the original insurance company will not benefit at all from the eventual reduction in spending.
Insurers, therefore, want Klink to allow them to get patients to sign multi-year contracts to prevent premium hopping.