Health · Healthcare & Policy · 2 hrs ago
Ending health care fraud could cut Dutch premiums by €2 to €21 a month
A calculation estimates how much Dutch health insurance premiums could fall if fraud in the basic insurance system were stopped.
It puts the possible monthly saving at €2 to €21 per adult, depending on how much fraud there is.
The size of the problem is uncertain: the often-cited figure of €10 billion in annual health care fraud is an estimate, not a measured total.
Only part of health care spending comes from basic insurance premiums; other costs are paid through taxes or income-based contributions.
The calculation assumes all fraud disappears, but patients would still need care, so some costs would remain.
Insurers have confirmed tens of millions of euros in fraud in each year from 2017 to 2021, but proving fraud can be difficult.
Proposed measures include tighter checks on providers and stronger enforcement, though the sources do not say when these changes may take effect.
Eliminating all fraud in the Dutch basic health insurance system could lower the premium paid by each adult by an estimated €2 to €21 a month, Zorgwijzer calculated.
The estimate depends on how much fraud there is, and its actual scale is not known.
The €10 billion figure often cited for annual health care fraud is an estimate, not a measured total.
Only part of health spending is covered by basic insurance premiums, and some costs would remain because patients still need care.
Former health minister Edith Schippers has called for tighter checks on care providers and stronger enforcement.
- Who
- Dutch adults who pay health insurance premiums could see a reduction. Zorgwijzer calculated the estimate.
- What
- Eliminating fraud in basic health insurance could cut premiums by an estimated €2 to €21 a month.
- When
- The estimate was published on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- The Netherlands.
- Why
- The amount of fraud is uncertain, and the calculation estimates how much of it affects basic insurance premiums.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Schippers introduced an action plan to tackle health care fraud.
The Netherlands Court of Audit concluded that the action plan had been little or not at all effective.
Schippers discussed the uncertain scale of health care fraud and the need for stronger controls on WNL Op Zondag.
Zorgwijzer published its estimate of possible monthly premium savings if fraud in basic insurance were eliminated.
- Estimated fraud figure
- €10 billion a year; an estimate, not a measured amount
- Basic insurance spending in 2027
- About €73 billion
- Adults paying premiums
- 14.7 million
- Low scenario
- 1% fraud; estimated saving of €2 a month per adult
- High scenario
- 10% fraud; estimated saving of €21 a month per adult
- DSW premium increase in 2027
- €14.75 per month
3 sources
What people are saying
It could just as easily be fifteen or twenty billion.
I have tried a lot to tackle health care fraud, but in practice it proves persistent.
If the fraudster receives hardly any punishment, that does not work either.