Most people whose health insurance is organised via their job are unaware that the system is being shaken up from next year, according to research by Q&A.

The government plans to cut the maximum discount on collective health insurance schemes from 10% to 5% next year, but 90% of people polled by the research group said they were not aware of the changes.

A spokesman for health minister Bruno Bruins told the AD that insurers should be informing their clients about the cuts. ‘We will approach health insurers to pressure them to communicate this carefully,’ the spokesman said.

Research has shown that some 50% of people will sign up for a collective health insurance policy because of the discounts, but that many end up being over-insured or paying too much.

Research by comparison website Zorgwijzer.nl last year showed that here are numerous cases where an individual insurance plan is cheaper than one that is set up through a collective.

In addition, many argue collective policies are unfair. ‘There is an unfair element in collective insurance,’ Zorgwijzer.nl spokesman Koen Kuijper said. ‘If you are not part of any group, you cannot profit from the discount. Everyone should get equal access to healthcare and basic health insurance. Fiddling with discounts for specific groups disadvantages others.’