Nearly 90% of Dutch back insurance coverage for obesity drugs, poll finds

Nearly 90 percent of Dutch citizens believe that obesity medication should be covered by the basic health insurance package, according to a recent poll shared Monday by Minister Daniëlle Jansen of Health, Welfare and Sport with the Tweede Kamer.

The Ipsos I&O survey, conducted among 1,422 Dutch adults over 18, found that 75 percent of respondents support coverage on the condition that the medication is prescribed by a specialist and that patients have made significant personal efforts to lose weight. Another 12 percent favor unconditional reimbursement of weight-loss drugs, including popular medications like Ozempic and Wegovy.

Support for coverage dipped slightly after respondents were informed that premiums might increase by a few euros per month to accommodate the cost.

The poll’s sample was weighted by gender, age, and education level to ensure representativeness. Respondents also submitted personal comments. One said, “Everyone has the right to lose weight,” while another argued, “I did not cause the overweight; I should not have to pay for the solution.”

Last year, the Dutch Healthcare Institute recommended against including Wegovy in the basic insurance package, citing the need for a “broader societal discussion” about such medications first. Following that advice, the government commissioned this poll, Minister Jansen wrote in her letter to the Tweede Kamer.