EU/EEA citizens generally have the same rights as Dutch nationals when it comes to social security benefits. However, receiving social security benefits can sometimes result in the withdrawal of your right to reside in the Netherlands. This is determined on case-by-case basis and could only happen if you have resided in the Netherlands shorter than five years.

Non-EU nationals in possession of a regular residency permit have also the same rights towards social security benefits. However, in some cases your Dutch residence permit may include a condition that you do not qualify to apply to any public funds.

All doctors during a patient consult have a choice to contact the ‘tolkentelefoon ‘(interpreters phone). This organisation Global Talk has many interpreters and translators able to translate over 200 languages. Besides translating documents, the translators can assists doctors/specialists during their doctor/patient consultation. Please note that you will be charged for this service. You can find more information at: https://www.globaltalk.eu/

Alternatively, you can ask a Dutch-speaking friend to accompany you to the doctor’s appointment.

Healthcare in the Netherlands is accessible 24/7.

If you call your huisarts (GP) outside normal opening hours (usually after 5 p.m., before 8 a.m. and during the weekend), a recorded telephone message will usually provide contact details for an on-duty huisarts or the number of the doktersdienst (medical advice service). Often these messages are recorded in Dutch, so it is helpful to have a Dutch speaker available to listen to the message.

If your huisarts (GP) is working in a group practice and you prefer one of the other GPs in the practice, you can schedule your appointments during his/her office hours.

If you want to change to a new GP, it is suggested to check if he/she is willing to accept you as a patient. Some GPs don’t accept new patients because their practice is full. Acceptance also depends on the distance between the practice and your home address in order to provide house visits when necessarily. Once you are sure that you can go to the GP of your choice, ask your former GP to send your medical file to the new GP.

The first thing you need to do is ask for a referral from your huisarts (GP). A referral is necessary to be able to visit a medical specialist. Once you have a referral, you can make an appointment. Depending on the specialisation and the facilities of the hospital, there may be waiting time from a few weeks to a few months. Health insurance companies may offer mediation to access treatment as soon as possible.

An alternative to seeing a medical specialist in a hospital is visiting one in  an independent clinic.  Here ambulatory and acute care are provided, but without major surgical or pre- and post-operative care facilities.

On your first visit to the medical specialist, you may be required to complete a questionnaire about your medical history and various lifestyle factors. If this is the case, the information will be registered in the hospital’s patient database.

If you want to visit a medical specialist without a referral, your health insurance may not cover this and you may have to pay for the costs yourself. You should check with your health insurance company what the coverage is.

Please keep in mind that the GP acts as a gatekeeper to wider Dutch healthcare and received 3 years of specialist training after 6 years of basic medical education. The huisarts treats less complicated problems and can determine which specialist(s) to consult if necessary. The GP can also answer most of your general health questions. He/she will also perform, for example, standard gynaecological or paediatric examinations and minor surgeries.

There is also a chance that you will not be able to make an appointment, even if you are willing to pay for the costs yourself. This is because some practices refuse doing it due to the complex administration involved.

If you call your usual tandarts (dentist) outside normal opening hours, a recorded telephone message will usually provide contact details for an on-duty dentist. Often these messages are recorded in Dutch, so it is helpful to have a Dutch speaker available to listen to the message.

Most hospital accommodation is in shared rooms or wards of up to six patients. Wards may be mixed gender. Single-occupancy rooms are available in some hospitals, but they are mainly available for patients who need this for medical reasons. You can expect the following:

• A private television is often available but you will be charged for its use
• You will need to bring your own nightwear, toiletries and other personal items. We suggest to leave valuable items such as bank cards and jewellery at home
• All food, medication, bedding and towels will be provided by the hospital

If you need hospitalisation, the costs are covered by your basic insurance. If you have a natura  (in kind) policy, you will only be covered if you go to a hospital that is contracted by your insurance. It is advised to contact your insurance company to find out which hospitals are contracted. In case of emergencies, the costs are covered regardless of the kind of insurance (in kind or restitution).

In all cases, you have to pay your eigen risico (deductible) first.

Yes, it is possible to visit the eerste hulp afdeling (accident and emergency department) in a hospital without a referral. If the situation allows, it is best to contact your huisarts (GP) or your local out-of-hours huisartsenpost (GP centres that open outside office hours) phone line first. Many problems can be treated by a GP without the need to visit the accident and emergency department in a hospital.

For life-threatening situations, you can call 112. This number works for emergencies throughout continental Europe (Great Britain has a different emergency number).

In the Netherlands, you cannot call an ambulance yourself. Only your huisarts (GP) or the emergency services can call an ambulance.

Medicines in the Netherlands are not always the same as those prescribed in other countries. If you are taking medication prescribed to you in another country, it is best to show it to your huisarts (GP) and/or apotheker (pharmacist). In particular, many brand names and packaging will be different in the Netherlands though the content may be identical.

You will have to contact your huisarts (GP) or visit a specialised vaccinatie bureau (vaccination centre). Please bear in mind that you will probably have to pay for additional shots yourself.

If you need psychological help, the costs are covered by your basic insurance.  Keep in mind that if your basic insurance is of natura (in kind) policy, you will only be covered if you go to a psychologist who is contracted by your insurance.  It is suggested to contact your insurance company to find out which psychologists are contracted.

In certain cases, you may have to pay your eigen risico (deductible) first.

Sometimes the health care professional at the GP’s practice can help you. This counts as a treatment from the GP and is exempted from your eigen risico.

You get only reimbursed if your mental health provider is recognised in the Netherlands. This means he/she needs to have a so-called BIG (Beroepen in de Gezondheidszorg , Professions in Healthcare) registration.
If you don’t get reimbursed because your mental health provider is not BIG registered, you may be able to deduct the costs from your taxes (depending on your income). Please check with your tax advisor if you qualify for this.

Please note that some treatments are not covered such as:

• Treatment for problems related to work, school or relationship
• Intelligence tests
• Treatment for dyslexia
• Coaching, training, courses
• Educational assessments
• Treatment for obesity and eating disorders
• Physical examination for e.g. driving license, sports

In the Netherlands, maternity care is organised in a so-called ‘primary, secondary and tertiary care model’. Primary care, for low-risk women, is usually performed by verloskundigen (midwives) and huisarten (GPs). GPs are responsible for only about 0.5% of all births. Secondary care consists of gynaecologists in hospitals.

Midwives in the Netherlands are the lead medical professionals for providing care to women with ‘normal’ or uncomplicated pregnancies. They are independent practitioners (like GPs) who can work independently in a private midwifery practice or as part of a group.

After registering with a midwife, you will initially receive a check-up once a month. As the pregnancy progresses, the midwife will want to see you more frequently. In case of complications or an increased risk of complications during pregnancy, labour or in the postpartum period, the midwife will refer her client to a gynaecologist who will take over responsibility.

As an independent practitioner, a midwife can legally practice obstetrics without the supervision of a medical doctor. He/she is the sole healthcare provider during pregnancy, labour, delivery and the initial postpartum (postnatal) period. In short, he/she will help ensure that you and your baby are safe during pregnancy and through to delivery. Among other things, you can expect a midwife to:

• Record you and your partner’s medical history, as well as that of your extended family
• Monitor your weight and blood pressure, the foetal growth, position and heart beat
• Check your blood iron levels
• Discuss your plans about delivery, i.e. whether you plan to give birth at home or in an outpatient clinic (hospital or birth centre)
• Assist you during labour, delivery and the initial post-partum period

Please note that you do not need a referral from your GP. You will find midwives listed in the Yellow Pages (in Dutch only).  Search for “verloskundigenpraktijk” and choose your city of residence. Alternatively, you can talk to your huisarts (GP) – he/she will be able to help you finding one in your local area.

It is reassuring to know that you can always change your midwife during your pregnancy if it does not click, or you feel that your birth plan cannot be carried out as you want.

If there are medical reasons for it, the midwife will refer you to the gynaecologist who will supervise all phases of care and the delivery will take place in a hospital.

Your verloskundige (midwife) will attend the labour and delivery. She will also help with preparations to ensure the safety and comfort of you and your child. Should any complications arise, you will be taken to hospital.

The Dutch health and safety regulations require that your bed is elevated with ‘klossen’. This way you have a means for adjusting the height of your bed to 80 cm from the ground to the top of your mattress. This is a requirement for the kraamverzorgende (maternity aide) when she comes to your house once your child is born (usually during the first week after birth).

There are Dutch online shops that provide all the necessary equipment for a home birth, the so-called ‘kraampakket’ and postnatal care. This equipment may also be useful even if you do not give birth at home. You can buy it at a drugstore or check with your insurance company if they cover or provide it for you. Alternatively, you can conduct an Internet search using the terms ‘thuiszorg’ (homecare) and ‘winkels’ (shops).

Most hospitals organise information evenings, including a tour of the maternity unit, which may help you make a decision. Always have a second hospital in mind in case the hospital of your choice is full.

Women usually return home within 24 hours of delivery and may be free to leave in as little as four hours after delivery. You will only be discharged once you feel confident and comfortable that you are ready to go home. A stay of less than 24 hours is considered outpatient clinic.

Sometimes giving birth does not go according to plan, e.g. your baby could be overdue and you have to be induced, or you might need a caesarean section. In that case, a gynaecologist will provide assistance. A hospital stay could vary from 24 hours to 10 days, depending on possible interventions during birth and/or necessary postnatal care.

You can contact hospitals in your area to enquire if they provide information evenings for internationals.

In the Netherlands, only a third of women in labour are given pain relief, and caesareans are relatively low, there is 24/7 availability of epidural pain relief for women in labour,  making it much easier to get an epidural. Please note that medical pain relief cannot be administered during home births. Midwives in the Netherlands are not qualified to administer anaesthetics and are restricted to using only non-prescription drugs. Your midwife can then refer you to a hospital or birth centre, but please be aware that there is not always an anaesthetist (the person who will be able to give you the epidural) available outside normal working hours.

During pregnancy, Dutch midwives provide information about medical pain relief, and they provide high quality continuous support during birth. In this way, they try to optimise their care and minimise the need for medical pain relief.

Every pregnant woman in the Netherlands has the right to postnatal maternity care. Kraamzorg (postnatal maternity care) is the term given to the medical service provided by a kraamverzorgende (maternity aide) to the new mother and her baby.  Normally, 49 hours of serrvice is provided with a minimum of 24 hours and maximum 80 hours over a period of ten days following delivery. However, the hours you are entitled to it will vary depending on the particular circumstances.

The kraamverzorgende (maternity aide) is a trained medical professional who will provide a range of services that may include:

• Helping during a home birth
• Guiding the mother through the feeding, bathing and taking care of their child, physically as well as emotionally, teaching her how to recognise the baby’s needs and how to attend to them
• Monitoring the health of the mother and her newborn child, acting as a link between the family and the midwife/GP
• Ensuring the house environment is maintained to an appropriate level of hygiene by cleaning the toilets, the bathroom and the mother’s and baby’s rooms every day
• Helping with light household duties during her stay to ensure the mother gets sufficient rest

The exact details of what your particular maternity aide will help with, as well as the frequency and length of her visits, will normally be determined before the birth. This first (prenatal) home visit will take place at around the seventh or eighth month of the pregnancy. It allows both parties to discuss the expectant mother’s needs and expectations. Once the baby is born, you have the option of adjusting the agreed schedule to more or less involvement after consultation with the agency. Flexibility is the key here.

It is important to note that the maternity aide is trained to guide and assist, not dominate or interfere. They will adapt to your way of doing things, not the other way around. If you decide that you do not want to breastfeed, then that will be taken as your choice. No pressure will be applied for you to conform to a given dogma, and support will be provided if you want it.

Families generally receive an average 49 hours of care, spread over a ten-day period. The minimum number of hours to which you are entitled is 24 hours. The necessary hours of support that you will require is determined on the basis of the Landelijk Indicatieprotocol Kraamzorg (the National Recommended Protocol for Maternity Care). Your kraamzorgorganisatie (maternity care agency) or kraamverzorgende als zzp’er (independent maternity nurse) will explain this to you during the intake. Depending on your health insurance coverage, the payment that you make can be partially or even wholly covered. There is a statuary eigen bijdrage (own contribution) for kraamzorg at your home. If you decide to receive kraamzorg in a hospital or birthing centre without a medical indication, the cost will be much higher. Please check with your health insurance provider for further details regarding what costs are covered.

If you have a non-Dutch healthcare provider, you should get in touch with the kraamzorgorganisatie or kraamverzorgende, as they will be able to tell you more about your situation or contact your insurer on your behalf.

A doula supports women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood. This support is practical and emotional, but non-medical in nature, as doulas are not medically trained. Hiring a doula is a relatively new phenomenon in the Netherlands.

The provision of continuous support during labour is associated with improved maternal and foetal health and a variety of other benefits, including lower risk of induction and interventions and less need for pain relief.

A postnatal doula will assist a new mother at home with emotional support as well as physical assistance around the home. After the birth, the doula will visit the couple once or twice to follow up on the birth. Some doulas provide birth hypnosis and other support strategies. All doulas are on call 24 hours a day for their clients and many provide an on-going postnatal support service.

Please note that only a few insurance companies offer to cover the cost of a doula. Visit the official website for doulas at doula.nl (Dutch only)

Your verloskundige (midwife) will visit you at home within a week of your child’s birth. If you have seen a gyneacologist instead of a midwife, you must go to their clinic for appointments, or arrange a visit to your doctor or midwife. You must check with the hospital to see if they organise this visit by a verloskundige; if not, you will be required to make an appointment with a local verloskundige yourself. The verloskundige is also responsible for the hielprik (heel prick test) where a sample of blood is taken from the baby’s heel to detect for hereditary illnesses. This occurs during the week when the kraamverzorgster (maternity aide) is caring for you and your baby.

You will have a final postnatal check-up six weeks after the baby is born at the practice of your verloskundige (midwife) or in the hospital.

Once your baby/child has been registered in the gemeente (municipality) – because your child was born abroad and you just moved to the Netherlands or if you have just given birth in the Netherlands – you will receive an invitation from the consultatiebureau (child health clinic) in order to make your first appointment.

If your child is not registered at the municipality, for example if you have privileged status     (representatives of other countries and staff of international organisations, including their families usually have this status), you can contact your closest child health clinic directly and register your child yourself. If you have a newborn, it can be worth asking your kraamzorgende (maternity aide) for help in doing so. During the first year, you will visit the child health clinic approximately eight times and then a few times each successive year until your child is four years old.

Registering the birth of a child takes places at the gemeente  where your child was born (municipality). Please bring the following documents:

• Valid passport or identity card (ID card) of the person registering the birth. Or a driving license if the person registering the birth lives in the municipality where the birth is being registered
• Valid passport or ID card of the mother or a driving license if the mother lives in the municipality where the birth is being registered

The following documents are not compulsory when registering a birth. It may, however, be useful to take them with you:

• Birth notification from the hospital or midwife showing the child’s birth names and the date and time of birth
• Where applicable, a copy of the declaration of acknowledgement of parentage if the child was acknowledged before birth
• Declaration of surname choice if the child’s surname was decided when acknowledging the child before birth.

This is not the case. You have to register your baby within four months after birth. The baby will receive healthcare free of charge until reaching the age of 18.

After the birth of your child, it is suggested that you should consider making a will if you have not already done so. If the unexpected happens and both you and your partner die suddenly, it is in your best interests to stipulate in a legally-recognised document who should become the guardian. If no will exists in these circumstances, the Dutch courts may decide that your baby/child should be put into state care as an orphan. To make a will in the Netherlands, you should make an appointment with a Dutch notaris (notary). Please note that if you have already made a will, you are advised to amend it to reflect the fact that you now have a child (a dependent).

If you have already made a will in your previous country of residence or origin, this document will be recognised by the Dutch authorities as long as it conforms to the legal requirements of the country in which it was written and does not contain any stipulations which would conflict with any public order or public morality legislation in the Netherlands.

Please note that the Dutch court will automatically go through the process of establishing legal guardianship should both parents of the child die suddenly. However, this may take some time if your will was made in another country and thus not registered with a Dutch notary. It is thus suggested that you should make your close relatives (parents or siblings) aware of the existence of your will and where it can be found.

Children born in the Netherlands to parents who are not Dutch citizens will not normally have the right to Dutch nationality at birth. However, if either of the child’s parents is a Dutch citizen, then the child will  acquire Dutch nationality at birth under the following situations:

• The mother is a Dutch citizen on the day of the child’s birth
• The father is a Dutch citizen on the day of the child’s birth. He is also married to or in a registered partnership with the non-Dutch mother
• The father is Dutch but not married to or in a registered partnership with the non-Dutch mother and he acknowledged the child before birth

Please note that it does not matter whether the child was born in the Netherlands or abroad.

Some Dutch health insurance companies are restricting free choice of health care providers (doctors, physiotherapists, pharmacies, psychologists, hospitals and clinics). The implication is that when you go to a non-preferred provider, the insurance company will usually not reimburse the full cost. The reimbursement varies from 100% to 40%, depending on the company and particularly the health insurance polisvoorwaarden (policy).

You can choose between two types of health care policies:

• The natura polis (in-kind policy) will only allow you to go to providers that the company has contracted and they will pay your medical bills directly. If you decide to go to non-contracted providers, they will reimburse you for a much lower percentage and/or amount or you will not be reimbursed at all
• The restitutie polis (restitution policy) is more expensive because it honours the freedom of choice of provider. Therefore, you choose your own healthcare provider and pay the bill yourself. Later you will submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement. It will usually cover between 80% and 100% of what the health insurance companies consider a fair price. There is not any regulatory system that checks the health insurance companies on how they determine what the current rate is. These vary widely among the various insurance companies.

It is usual for all GPs to be contracted under the healthcare system (meaning that you can go to any huisarts (GP) and it will be covered by your insurance). That is not the case for all specialist care and paramedical services. The restitutie polis is more expensive than the natura polis, but it can be worth exploring further.

Dental care is covered in the basisverzekering (basic healthcare insurance) for children under the age of 18. If you are 18 years or older, dental care can be covered by taking out a tandarts aanvullende verzekering (additional insurance dental care). The premium and coverage vary per health insurance company. In most cases, orthodontics are not covered.

Children under the age of 18 are always covered under their parent’s premium for the basic package and dental care. Parents must register their child with an insurance company within four months of its birth.

If you are temporarily residing in the Netherlands (fewer than four months), you are not allowed to take out a Dutch health insurance. In that case, you should make sure to extend the international or travel insurance from your home country.

You need to have a Dutch health insurance within four months from the day you have a residence permit and are  registered with the gemeente (municipality). Please note that you will pay Dutch health insurance from the day you registered. Meaning, if you registered on 1 January but you take out the Dutch insurance on 1 March, you still have to pay for January and February. You can arrange reimbursement for health care costs incurred during that period.

If obtaining a verblijfsvergunning (residence permit) takes a while, it is possible to take out a voluntary and temporary health insurance. This is a health insurance for those who do not have a verblijfsvergunning yet.  An example of such an insurance can be found on the website of insurance company Oom https://www.oominsurance.com/to-the-netherlands/schengen-visitor-insurance/

If you take out a Dutch health insurance, you have to pay from the day you registered with the gemeente (municipality). Therefore, you may have to pay insurance premiums to the insurance company retrospectively. Please note that most insurance companies should allow you to pay the amount you owe in instalments.

If you don’t take out Dutch health insurance within four months after registering in the Netherlands, you will get a letter from the CAK, the Dutch Healthcare Institute, reminding you to take out health care insurance within three months. If you fail to do so, you will have to pay a penalty. Then you will get another three months to take out a health insurance. If you still haven’t done that after this time, you will have to pay a second penalty and the CAK will arrange a health insurance for you. The verzekeringspremie (insurance premium) will be higher than if you had taken out health insurance yourself. Please note that this premium will be automatically deducted from your income during 12 months.

The eigen risico (deductible) is the amount you have to pay yourself before you receive a reimbursement from your health insurance company. Everyone over 18 years of age is required to pay a deductible on the basic insurance coverage. The deductible is decided by the government and updated annually.

You can voluntarily raise your deductible; then you will receive a discount on the insurance premium. The higher your voluntary deductible, the lower the premium you will be charged. While this may be attractive for relatively healthy individuals, it may become a risk on the long run. For example, if you get ill or get involved in an accident, the insurance company is able to claim the total of the deductible in one payment.

If you are living illegally in the Netherlands, you can get urgent medical help without paying. The doctor decides which help is urgent in each individual case.

The basisverzekering (basic health insurance) covers general medical care such as visits to the huisarts (GP), hospital stays, most prescription medicine and various medical appliances. The coverage included in a basic health insurance is determined by the government. However, insurance companies can decide for themselves what to cover in the aanvullende verzekering (additional health insurance).

Some Dutch health insurance providers offer special health packages for students. Few companies are offering special health insurance packages for students who don’t need to take out a Dutch health insurance are:

www.loonzorg.nl , /www.aonstudentinsurance.com/students/en/ and /www.oominsurance.com/to-the-netherlands/oom-studying-in-the-netherlands-insurance/

In most cases the costs for giving birth are covered by the Dutch health insurance. However, you will have to pay the costs yourself if you decide to give birth in a hospital or birth centre without a medical necessity for doing so. Sometimes the additional insurance covers some of the costs. Please check with your insurance about what is covered.

You can change your health insurance company only once a year and only on 1 February. There is one exception: you can change your health insurance company during the year if you switch from one collective employer’s agreement to another (i.e. if you switch jobs).

You have to cancel your health insurance before 31 December. Your new health insurance company may offer to cancel your old insurance on your behalf. If they don’t offer this, it is best to send an aangetekende brief (registered letter) well in advance.  A health insurance company is obliged to accept you for basic insurance, unless there are some payments overdue/outstanding at the current health insurance company. In such a case, the new company can refuse you basic health insurance.

The new health insurance company is allowed to refuse you for additional health insurance if you don’t meet its requirements. Therefore, it is suggested not to cancel your current additional health insurance until you have received an email or letter that the new company accepts you for additional insurance.

Depending on your personal circumstances you may need the following kinds of help:

* help with personal care or nursing care. Personal care (persoonlijke verzorging) would be assistance with getting dressed/undressed and getting washed. Also nursing care (verpleegkundige zorg) such as giving injections, treatment of wounds, etc. This kind of help is called thuiszorg or wijkzorg and is covered by the basic health insurance. If you have an in kind (natura) policy, only help from organisations that have a contract with your health insurance company is covered. It is best to contact your health insurance company to find out with which organisation in your neighbourhood they have a contract. If you have a restitution policy, you can also get help from organisations that don’t have a contract with your insurance company. If your insurance company feels their costs are too high, they will only reimburse up to a certain maximum. 

The help will be given as long as necessary. The organisation you choose will come to you, discuss what you need,  how often (once a day, twice a day or more often) and how long they will come. The organisation that will help you takes care of the necessary paperwork. 

* help in doing the household (dishwashing,  doing the laundry,  ironing,  dust cleaning, etc.). This is not arranged by the government.  You need to find a cleaning lady yourself.  Ask neighbours,  friends,  colleagues and others in your network. 

Keep in mind that the Dutch system expects your partner/children help you as well as people from your network (friends, neighbours).  Usually people from your network are willing to help occasionally,  but not for weeks or months.The health insurance company will try to give you as little help as possible saying you can ask your network to do the rest. Be realistic what your neighbours are willing to do for you.

If you need any tools such as crutches, a toilet chair, a wheelchair, a pillow to avoid decubitus (wounds caused by sitting/lying very long in one position) etc. it is advised to contact Vegro, www.vegro.nl. (Dutch only) or Medipoint www.medipoint.nl (Dutch only). These organisations have shops all over the Netherlands which offer a wide choice of tools you might need, and they can also help you when you call them. They can also advise what would be useful considering your situation. In most cases you can borrow what you need free of charge as long as you need it and it will be delivered to your place. 

When you are dissatisfied with the medical specialist, it is suggested to discuss it with him/her first. If this doesn’t solve the problem, you can  file a complaint. Every hospital and clinic has a procedure for this.

If you have second thoughts about the medical solution provided by the specialist, you can ask another doctor for a second opinion. Depending on your preferences this can be a doctor in the same hospital or clinic or somewhere else. You need a new referral for this from your GP.