2025 health insurance cuts to provide fewer supplemental benefits

Supplemental health insurance plans in the Netherlands are set to provide fewer benefits in 2025, according to comparisons made by health insurance comparison site Zorgverzekeringwijzer.nl. The website highlighted significant cuts in coverage for dental care, physiotherapy, and alternative medicine, which could lead to financial hardship for those who rely heavily on these services.

In 2024, 22 health insurance policies offered dental coverage up to 1,000 euros or more. In 2025, that number will decrease to just 19 policies. The site also noted that individuals who frequently use physiotherapy may be worse off in the coming year. “In 2024, there were still 22 policies offering more than 20 physiotherapy sessions per year. In 2025, only 19 policies will remain,” said the comparison site. For alternative medicine, the reimbursement will also be significantly reduced. “People needing coverage of 500 euros or more in 2025 will only have 20 policies to choose from, down from 24 in 2024. Additionally, the maximum reimbursement amount will decrease substantially,” the site added.

These changes may lead to increased out-of-pocket costs for individuals who depend on comprehensive coverage. Zorgverzekeringwijzer.nl warned that these reductions could cause financial problems for many people.

Meanwhile, the Consumentenbond, a consumer rights organization, is calling for a ban on "bundled sales" of health insurance, where consumers are forced to choose a more expensive basic insurance plan to access a broad supplemental insurance package. According to the Consumentenbond, at least eight health insurers are engaging in this practice.

The insurers identified by the Consumentenbond as guilty of bundled sales include De Friesland, FBTO, Interpolis, Menzis, Nationale-Nederlanden, ONVZ, Univé, and Zorg en Zekerheid. Of note, De Friesland, FBTO, and Interpolis are all part of the Achmea insurance group, which the Consumentenbond claims is leading the industry in bundled sales.

"Bundling means that customers are required to pick a more expensive basic insurance policy in order to access a more comprehensive supplemental policy, or they cannot combine a cheap basic policy with a comprehensive supplemental package," said Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumentenbond. “Consumers may end up paying more for their basic insurance than necessary just because they want a more extensive supplemental policy for dental care or physiotherapy. Sometimes, the costs they pay exceed the reimbursement they are entitled to,” she added.

The Consumentenbond's concerns echo a report from regulators the ACM and NZa earlier this year, which criticized bundled sales. While the regulators acknowledged the issue, they pointed out that there is no legal prohibition against bundled sales, meaning they are unable to intervene. The consumer organization is now calling for a legislative ban on this practice, which complicates the process of comparing insurance plans.