Healthcare in the Netherlands
Health insurance in the Netherlands is mandatory. Healthcare in the Netherlands is covered by two statutory forms of insurance:
While Dutch residents are automatically insured by the government for Wlz, everyone has to take out their own basic healthcare insurance (basisverzekering), except those under 18 who are automatically covered under their parents' premium. If you don't take out insurance, you risk a fine.
Insurers have to offer a universal package for everyone over the age of 18 years, regardless of age or state of health – in most cases it's illegal to refuse an application or impose special conditions, but not always.
In contrast to many other European systems, the Dutch government is responsible for the accessibility and quality of the healthcare system in the Netherlands, but not in charge of its management.
Mamita Fox
According to a law implemented in 2011, all BES islands citizens were required to be insured under the new compulsory health insurance plans of the Netherlands Health Insurance Office (). Previously because there were insufficient facilities to provide care on the islands, comprehensive health insurance allowed for treatment in places such as Colombia. The new system placed all physician referrals under the discretion of the ZVK, which routinely denied off-island referrals due to cost. It also made access to health care unequal for European Dutch citizens and Dutch citizens living in the Caribbean Netherlands. In 2013 after she was denied a medical referral, Fox staged a sit-in in front of the Caribbean Netherlands Tax Office in Kralendijk to protest the changes in health care provisions implemented by Dutch authorities. For eight days, she and her supporters protested and collected signatures.