Dutch health insurance premium will rise 8 pct. next year to over €137 per month

The maximum premium for health insurance in the Netherlands will rise by over eight percent in 2023, sources close to the Cabinet told the Telegraaf and newswire ANP. The premium for the basic health insurance package, a guideline price for health insurers, will rise to an annual rate of 1,649 euros.

That equates to just over 137.42 euros per month, an increase of more than ten euros compared to the guideline of 126.83 euros announced last year. The new premium will be officially announced on 20 September. The date, known as Prinsjesdag, is the deadline for the Cabinet to announce its budget plans for the upcoming year.

The premium indicates the maximum increase insurers may charge for the basic health insurance package only, and does not include additional coverage. The health insurance companies are allowed to charge a lower price for the service, and use their own financial buffers to reduce costs.

Health insurers are required to announce their 2023 rates by 12 November at the latest, ANP reported. Residents of the Netherlands are typically required to secure health insurance by 1 January, but in some cases this deadline can be extended to 31 January.

To help lower income households, the available allowance for healthcare will also rise by over 400 euros next year, Telegraaf reported. This can be used to reduce the impact of the health insurance rate increase, but can also be used to pay for other related services.

Higher healthcare costs and an increase in wages paid to sector workers is driving the higher premium, the Telegraaf stated.