Netherlands — Healthcare: Public Healthcare

Why this matters

Relocating to the Netherlands for work or residence may require understanding the public healthcare system to access necessary medical care, or to avoid unexpected costs.

Key facts

• Current health expenditure: 10.0 % of GDP (2024)
• Government share of current health expenditure: 68 % (2023)
• Out-of-pocket share of current health expenditure: 12 % (2024)
• Physicians: 3.9 per 1,000 people (2022)
• Hospital beds: 2.4 per 1,000 people (2022)
• Life expectancy at birth: 82.0 years (2024)

Steps

1. Registering with a Household Doctor (Huisarts) — To access public healthcare, individuals typically need to register with a 'huisarts' or household doctor. This doctor will provide general medical care and refer patients to specialists as needed.
2. Obtaining a Health Insurance Card (Ziektekostenverzekering) — In order to access public healthcare, individuals typically need to obtain a health insurance card, which is often provided by the employer or government agency.

Costs

• Healthcare premium: varies depending on age, income, and other factors

Timelines

• Registration with a household doctor: typically a few days to a week

Required documents

• Valid passport
• Proof of residency
• Employment contract or proof of income

Common mistakes

• Believing that public healthcare is the same as private healthcare in the Netherlands.
• Assuming that non-EU citizens are automatically entitled to public healthcare.

What these figures do not cover

These are national statistics. Who is eligible for the public system, how a foreign resident enrols, what it costs and waiting times are not covered here.