The caretaker Dutch government has decided to delay its proposal to reduce the healthcare deductible to €165 starting in 2027, according to reports from Telegraaf citing sources within the government. The decision comes amid insufficient support for the plan in parliament, exacerbated by the shifting political landscape following recent elections.
The coalition agreement between the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB had initially included a proposal to lower the healthcare deductible from €385 to €165 by 2027, along with a cap of €50 per treatment. This plan was driven by Geert Wilders’ PVV, which had previously pledged to abolish the deductible entirely during its election campaign.
However, in a Council of Ministers meeting on Friday, the remaining Ministers of the now twice-collapsed Schoof I Cabinet agreed to put the proposal on hold “until further notice,” sources revealed. The government anticipates the plan will not gain enough traction in parliament, leading to its likely demise.
The plan had already faced significant criticism from the Council of State, which warned that such a move would lead to higher premiums and fail to address the needs of the most vulnerable in society. In fact, the proposal was seen as potentially exacerbating the situation for people with disabilities.
Many political parties, including D66, the largest party in parliament, have aligned themselves with this criticism and now favour maintaining the deductible at €385. The VVD, CDA, and JA21 parties have even proposed increasing the deductible further.