Election: healthcare insurance changes opposed by most voters

Some 79% of Dutch voters oppose any increase in the healthcare own-risk charge and 63% are against changes in the basic insurance package, according to research for television show EenVandaag.


The only change suggested so far during the election campaign is to make healthcare premiums income-dependent.
One in three think older people should have to use their own money to pay for residential nursing care and 54% are opposed.
Flat fee
The research involved 28,000 people who are members of the EenVandaag opinion panel.
Currently everyone pays a flat fee of around €100 a month for health insurance, plus the first €220 of their treatment. That own-risk element is due to rise to €350 next year.
Coping with rising healthcare costs is central to the current election campaign, with several parties calling for a cut in provisions and higher fees.
The right-wing VVD, for example, want to reduce the basic healthcare package and let family doctor visits be covered by the own-risk. The D66 Liberals, by contrast, want to increase the own-risk element and Labour want to increase premiums for high earners.
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