Households will spend hundreds of euros more a year on their health insurance next year, according to new calculations from comparison site Independer. People are expected to cut their additional insurance. But Independer warns: high bills and forced treatments to avoid are lurking.
Health care expert Mirjam Prins was also shocked when she saw today how much more some families will have to pay. Previously it was known that health premiums go up. Independer calculated what this means in practice for six different families, with different care needs. They may simply have to pay hundreds of euros more.
Take a family with an 18-year-old child with supplementary dental insurance: it’s worth 594 euros more a year than a similar family a year ago. Small children and additional insurance for dentist and physiotherapy? This means an additional 362.40 euros on an annual basis. A single person with an extra deductible (885 instead of the mandatory 385): plus 227.40 euros.
Impact
“We’ve looked at different, realistic family situations and it’s quite intense what comes out of that, especially these days.” This weekend, Nibud sounded the alarm: nearly four out of ten families are having trouble making ends meet. Payment problems are piling up and no one can tell exactly what the future will bring. There are also serious concerns for middle incomes, which are proving vulnerable now that purchasing power has plummeted.
We have looked at different and realistic family situations and it is quite intense what comes out of it
Although for some the increases seem smaller than expected, Prins points out that the impact is also being felt. An additional insured couple over the age of 65 can pay “only” an extra 43.20 per year, but the total monthly premium can still be called a hefty amount of 176.10 euros. Of the six situations outlined, a cheaper package can only be concluded with a little incoming compared to last year.
Big savings
At another comparator, Pricewise, they therefore expect overall there will be “significant cuts” in health insurance. Even health expert Prins sees that he’s tempting, but warns: just don’t. “It may seem like a smart choice to cancel your dental insurance, but if you have to pay for braces yourself, it will be much more expensive.”
Even something like this: increase the deductible. This may result in a lower premium (although the corresponding discount is lower this year than before), but anyone who breaks a leg can simply fork over hundreds of euros. “People who are already tight often don’t have that money around. That’s why we want to say in advance: take a look at what you need, sit down for it. We want to prevent people from avoiding healthcare because their insurance doesn’t cover certain costs”. Independer will also draw attention to this in newsletters in the near future.
In 2023, basic insurance must be paid between 3.75 and 9.30 euros more per month. The 5% discount for group policyholders will no longer apply, meaning they are now much more expensive. Prins: ,,Guarantees the biggest increase in recent years.”
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