The financial test which the government planned to use to assess fees for people in nursing homes has been scrapped, according to sources in The Hague and quoted in the Volkskrant.

Junior health minister Jet Bussemaker had planned to introduce the means test under the exceptional medical expenses act AWBZ to raise €40m this year and €80m in 2009. However, the governing parties, led by the Christian Democrats, said it would punish people who had saved for their old age.
The gap in the budget this will create is to be filled by raising the contribution for people with an income of above €40,000 by between €100 and €200 and the prescribing cheaper generic medicines which could produce a saving of €25m.
In addition, the €15m in unused subsidies and a campaign against fraud will also help plug the gap, says the paper.