Health Min: Maternity care stays in basic health insurance

Based on the advice of Care Institute Netherlands, Minister Edith Schippers of Public Health has decided to keep maternity care in the basic health care package. Schippers believes that maternity care in the basic package is a necessity, NOS reports. She and the Care Institute agree that this care contributes to the recovery of the mother and a good start for the child. She worries that if it is removed from the package, people will possibly make too little use of maternity care, Schippers wrote to the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament. According to the minister, maternity care also contributes to the early detection of critical situations. Schippers may make adjustments to maternity care, however. She wants more "tailored" maternity care in the future, meaning no more or fewer hours of maternity care than is necessary. "If the new mother can again orchestrate her family herself and has been helped on her way sufficiently, maternity care is no longer necessary." She also wants to investigate whether the same mount of maternity care is needed for a first and second child.