Health insurance premiums will not rise by much due to Covid-19

Health insurance premiums will increase in the coming year, but not by hundreds of euros like some external experts had calculated based on the high coronavirus costs, Minister Martin van Rijn for Medical Care said to parliament. "That calculation could be correct on paper, but that is not going to happen in practice," he said, AD reports.

According to Van Rijn, the main objective in the approach to absorbing the high coronavirus costs is to keep premiums as low as possible. Part of the costs incurred in tackling the pandemic will be covered by the State treasury, he said. Health insurers' reserves will also be drawn upon. "All extra costs are now being mapped and there will be a discussion about this," he said.

Van Rijn said that the healthcare sector so far sent 1.2 billion euros on all kinds of coronal-related items, like protective gear. Other costs are still being mapped.

The Minister also pointed out that health insurance premiums increase every year, partly because of increasing prices and wages.