Hospitals will have financial problems and may go bankrupt over the next few years as a result of the changes in the health system and poor financial results, the independent financial institute for the health sector WfZ says in a letter to health minister Ab Klink.

The government will have to provide temporary financial support if hospitals get into trouble, the Financieele Dagblad reports the institute as saying.
Hospitals are due to take financial responsibility for their investments in buildings from 2008 and to adhere to a price ceiling by 2009. The institute, which provides guarantees for loans to the health sector, says this will bring new financial risks because the actual costs of hospitals often deviate strongly from the price ceiling in the new budget system.
Klink has remained evasive on the subject of support for hospitals that get into financial problems, the paper says. The institute says the new health care system is only acceptable if the government takes responsibility for hospitals which get into trouble, the paper reports.