These are the changes to health insurance cover from 2024

The government decides what healthcare all health insurers must cover under the general insurance. On this year’s ‘Prinsjesdag’, which is the official opening of Dutch parliament and budget day rolled into one, the government announced several changes to the general insurance from 2024. They also announced that the deductible will remain unchanged.

Changes to reimbursements under the general insurance from 2024

The government has announced the following changes to the general insurance for 2024:

  • Personal contributions and maximum reimbursements
    We are adjusting the personal contributions and maximum reimbursements. Take a look at the new rates

  • Speech and language therapy
    For speech and language therapy up to age 18, you will no longer need a referral from 2024 when going to a contracted healthcare provider. If you go to a non-contracted healthcare provider, you will still need a referral.
    Read more about this reimbursement (in Dutch)

  • Obstetric care
    In some situations, the period of obstetric care can be spread out over a period of six weeks instead of the maximum period of ten days. The number of days of obstetric care and the number of hours a day will be set during the intake and after giving birth. The maximum number of days will continue to be ten (eight and two additional days when there are medical grounds for it). Read more about the reimbursement obstetric care

  • Provisional recovery care after COVID-19
    If you have had COVID-19 and still suffer serious symptoms, recovery care such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy will be reimbursed provisionally. This reimbursement had already been added to the general insurance policy on a temporary basis and has now been extended until 1 January 2025.
    Take a look at the reimbursement for recovery care after COVID-19 (in Dutch)

  • Combined lifestyle intervention
    If your child needs coaching for a healthy diet and exercise, the combined lifestyle intervention will also be reimbursed for overweight and obese children up to and including the age of 17 from 2024. The healthcare is overseen and coordinated by a central healthcare provider. In order to be able to use this reimbursement, you need a referral. You will not have to a pay a deductible for this healthcare.

  • 20-week ultrasound
    If you’re pregnant and would like a 20-week ultrasound, this scan will be reimbursed by the government rather than under the general insurance policy from 1 January 2024. You still won’t need to pay for the scan yourself, so you won’t notice any changes.
    Read more about the 20-week ultrasound here (in Dutch)

  • Fall prevention
    From 2024, fall prevention cover will be added to the general insurance policy. Fall prevention consists of an exercise programme supervised by a physiotherapist. You are eligible for fall prevention if you are at a high risk of falling and you have additional physical or psychological problems. You will be reimbursed for a maximum of one fall prevention exercise programme per twelve months. You will need a referral to be able to claim this reimbursement. If you do not have additional physical or psychological problems, but you are at risk of falling, you can enter a fall prevention exercise programme through your municipality.
    Read more about the reimbursement for fall prevention exercise programme (in Dutch)

  • District nursing
    If you are using district nursing services provided by a healthcare provider that does not have a contract with CZ, the application procedure for reimbursement of this healthcare will change in 2024. Your statement of medical grounds must not be more than three months old at the time of submitting your application.
    Read more about this here (in Dutch)

  • Upper jaw implants
    If you need an implant for your upper jaw, you will need approval from us from 2024 both for contracted and for non-contracted healthcare providers. For a lower jaw implant, approval will be required only for non-contracted healthcare providers.
    Read more about the reimbursement for upper jaw implants (in Dutch)

  • Physiotherapy for COPD
    From 2024, we will reimburse physiotherapy to treat COPD only if provided by physiotherapists that we have contracted for this kind of physiotherapy and that are affiliated with the national Chronisch ZorgNet network. These therapists have a special focus on treating COPD. They have taken additional training, for example, and they work closely together with other healthcare providers. If your physiotherapist is not affiliated with Chronisch ZorgNet, your reimbursement will be lower.
    Read more about this here (in Dutch)

Change to CZ general insurance policies from 2024:

  • Refund policy to be replaced with combination policy
    As of 2024, the ‘Zorgkeuzepolis’ refund policy will be replaced with the ‘Zorgvariatiepolis’ combination policy. Under the current refund policy, healthcare provided by non-contracted district nursing or mental healthcare providers is reimbursed for the full 100%. With the new ‘Zorgvariatiepolis’ combination policy, reimbursement of healthcare provided by these healthcare providers will be capped from 2024 at 85% of the rate charged by healthcare providers that do have a contract. You will need to pay the remainder of the invoice yourself. For all other healthcare, you will still be reimbursed for the full 100%, even if you go to a non-contracted healthcare provider.
    Read more about this change here

Changes to reimbursements under additional insurance packages from 2024

  • Physiotherapy
    New: physiotherapy rollover. If you currently have an additional insurance package that covers physiotherapy and you did not use up all your sessions this year, a maximum of 5 sessions will automatically be rolled over to next year.
    Read more about physiotherapy and exercise therapy

  • Carer relief
    From 2024, your reimbursement for informal care will be capped at €2250 per year. In 2023, you were reimbursed for a maximum of 14 days, whereby the relief carer had to be deployed for at least four consecutive hours a day. This rule of four consecutive hours a day will be scrapped to give you greater flexibility in using carer relief.
    Read more about this (in Dutch)

  • Annual HealthCheck
    From 2024, the ‘Jongeren’, ‘Gezinnen’ and ‘50+’ (individual and group) additional insurance packages will cover one annual HealthCheck. In 2023, this was covered as part of the reimbursement for online health programmes (€60 per year). From 2024, you will be able to use this amount for other online health programmes.
    Read more about the healthcheck reimbursement (in Dutch)

  • Vaccinations for travel
    The reimbursement for vaccinations for travel will be extended. Vaccinations for tuberculosis/meningitis, Japanese or tick-borne encephalitis, rabies and a Mantoux test to screen for possible tuberculosis will now also be covered.
    Read more about the reimbursement vaccinations for travel (in Dutch)

  • Foot care for severe circulation problems or for rheumatoid arthritis
    If you suffer from severe circulation problems or rheumatoid arthritis, with an increased risk of foot ulcers, your treatment will be reimbursed under your general insurance policy from 2024, instead of under the additional insurance package. Like before, we will reimburse you for foot care in relation to diabetes mellitus under the general insurance policy as well. General foot care will continue to be reimbursed under the additional insurance package.

  • Skin therapy
    For acne treatment, camouflage therapy, and hair removal, you can go to a cosmetologist registered in the SKIN register. Any new recognised registers added during the year will be listed on our website.

  • Pregnancy
    The personal contribution for obstetric care will be reimbursed at 100% under the ‘Basis’, ‘Plus’ and ‘Top’ additional insurance packages. The reimbursement for the personal contribution under the ‘Basis Collectief’ additional insurance package will be raised from 75% to 100%.
    Read more about reimbursement pregnancy and delivery

  • Fall prevention
    Fall prevention will no longer be reimbursed under any of the additional insurance packages. This reimbursement will be moved to the general insurance policy and will only be provided from age 65 upwards from 2024. This healthcare is subject to a deductible.

  • Exercise programme for overweight and obese children
    Does your additional insurance package include reimbursement for an exercise programme? As of 2024, children no longer require a statement of medical grounds to take part in an exercise programme. Up to the age of 18, children can take part in the combined lifestyle intervention under the general insurance policy, subject to certain terms and conditions. You will not have to pay a deductible for this.

The compulsory deductible remains unchanged

Set by the Dutch government, the compulsory deductible is the amount you pay yourself for healthcare under the general insurance policy. The compulsory deductible for your health insurance will remain the same in 2024 at €385. 

CZ gives you the option of paying the compulsory deductible in instalments, rather than paying the whole amount in one go.

The break-even premium in 2024

At the official opening of Dutch parliament, which is also budget day, the government announced that the break-even premium for 2024 has been calculated at €1,708. This is the amount that health insurers, according to the government, have to charge policyholders annually to cover healthcare costs. The break-even premium is used as the basis for calculation of the health insurance premium you will be paying in 2024. For more about how exactly this works, read our more detailed explanation.
From break-even premium to your premium (in Dutch)

CZ Customer Services