Health ministry cost calculations ‘out-of-date and confusing’

The information provided by the health ministry about the yearly overspend of the budget is ‘out-to-date and confusing’, the national audit office said on Thursday.

In addition, it is virtually impossible for the ministry to see in time if the cost of healthcare is too high. Consequently, it is often unclear if interventions, such as raising the own risk on insurance policies or altering treatments in the basic package, have any effect.
Over the past ten years, the health budget has been overspent, but by how much only becomes clear years later, says the audit office. In 2007, overspends from 2003 came to light.
The yearly overspends could be partly blamed on a difference of €2bn between the estimates of government think-tank CPB and those of the ministry.
Reacting in NRC, the current health minister Edith Schippers said the health sector is moving to a market forces-driven service which could temporarily make managing the budget less efficient.