Opposition MPs slam health premium hike; a ‘cold shower’, says patient group

Health minister Edith Schippers has refused to comment specifically on the 10% rise in health insurance premiums announced by insurer DSW on Tuesday.

DSW is traditionally the first insurance company to publish its premium plans for the following year and is said to set the pace for others to follow. Few other insurance companies come up with lower figures, the Telegraaf said.

Opposition MPs have reacted angrily to the rise, which is well above the €3.50 monthly increase forecast by the health ministry and takes a monthly DSW premium to around €108.

A spokesman for the ruling VVD said his party hoped the other insurance company premium hikes would be lower.  The ruling Labour party said a clear picture of the 2017 premiums is not possible until December, when the dominant players have announced their figures.

Cold shower

But patients’ organisation Patiëntenfederatie said the announcement was a ‘cold shower’ following all the government’s claims that everyone would have more to spend next year, broadcaster NOS reported.

Schippers had hoped insurers would draw on their billion euro reserves to keep this year’s rises to a minimum. In a reaction to today’s rise, she pointed out that her estimates had been too high in previous years.

Expensive medicines

DSW put up its fees by €3.50 last year and froze them in 2014.

DSW only offers one sort of health insurance policy which allows patients to be treated by which ever health service provider they chose. The company said the price hike is necessary to cover the cost of expensive medicines, a broader basis package and wage and price rises.

The big insurance companies, which offer a wider range of policies with more restrictions on choice, are expected to begin publishing their premiums for next year in November.