Hospital costs vary substantially nationwide

According to Zorgkiezer.nl, the rates at hospitals for the same treatment varies significantly. For example, the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam charges nearly double what the Slotervaart Hospital does. The independent comparison site asked 60 different hospitals for their rates for treatment at the outpatient clinic for allergy and anxiety symptoms. Based on the study, an Achmea insured will pay the following amounts in Amsterdam: €552.26 at VU Medical Center, €505.29 at Academic Medical Center (AMC), €446 at Sint Lucas Andreas Hospital, €424.73 at BovenIJ Hospital and €283.87 at Slotervaart Hospital. The cheapest hospital - Pantein Hospital in Boxmeer - charges 201.46 euro. Second and third place for the cheapest hospitals are Laurentius Hospital in Roermond (256 euro) and Tergooi Hospital in Hilversum (265.67 euro). The most expensive hospital - Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen (604 euro) - charges almost three times as much as Pantein Hospital. The large price differences also apply to other treatments, says director of Zorgkiezer.nl. He bases this on the only public list of hospital services - the costs for uninsured. The prices that hospitals and insurers have agreed upon are not public. Patients often have to pay for treatments themselves, without knowing beforehand how much they cost. Zorgkiezer.nl has started a petition to make treatments up to 875 euro (the maximum deductible) public.