The Netherlands

If you need to see a doctor in the Netherlands contact any general practitioner (huisarts) in the area. You can only see a specialist if you have a general practitioner´s referral.

Dental treatment for patients under the age of 18 is usually free of charge. Adults usually pay for their treatment themselves. Reimbursements can be obtained only for procedures carried out by oral surgeons. Information about reimbursement is available from the health insurer Zilveren Kruis.

Medicine prescriptions are valid for one year in the Netherlands.

For some medicines you will have to pay the full price, for others part of the price, and some medicines are available free of charge. The Dutch healthcare authority determines the level of reimbursement. Consult the pharmacy if you have questions regarding the costs of medicines.

You can be admitted to hospital via the emergency department or, in less urgent cases, with a referral from a doctor. The doctor will obtain authorisation for treatment from the health insurance fund on the basis of your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). A copy of your card is required for the treatment authorisation. In that case, the treatment is free of charge for you.

In an emergency, you can go straight to the emergency department of a public hospital (ziekenhuis). Please present your European Health Insurance Card as soon as possible so that the health insurance fund can be contacted and treatment arranged at no cost to you.

In an emergency, ambulance transport is free of charge. In other circumstances, you can travel to your appointment using the cheapest form of public transport or a taxi and be reimbursed for your travel expenses if your doctor provides a certificate to that effect. Reimbursement requires a medical justification, and prior authorisation must be sought from the health insurance fund for travel.

If you need a taxi to attend a medical appointment in non-emergency situations, you can contact the Dutch National Contact Point. You can usually access public healthcare services free of charge with a European Health Insurance Card. If you have to pay the full cost of treatment in a situation where you would have been entitled to treatment with the card, you can claim reimbursement from Kela afterwards. If necessary, you can ask the healthcare provider to contact Zilveren Kruis to clarify the billing.

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

An electronic Patient Summary is in use between the Netherlands and Finland, which means that doctors can, to a limited extent, view the health information that has been previously recorded about you in Finland. The Patient Summary contains information such as diagnoses, prescriptions and allergies. Check with your place of treatment whether they use the Patient Summary. You must also give your consent in MyKanta for the use of the Patient Summary.

Read more about the Patient Summary on the MyKanta website

In the event of treatment injuries, the legislation and patient insurance of the country providing the treatment is always applied. In case you are unhappy with the treatment you received, you should primarily try to sort the matter out with the treatment provider. If you want to file a complaint, the National Contact Point of the Netherlands can help you find the right authority.

Information on quality of healthcare is gathered on the website of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.

The healthcare system in the Netherlands is insurance-based, meaning that anyone residing or working in the Netherlands is obliged to take out a standard health insurance from a health insurer of their choice. The coverage provided by the standard package is decided by the government and includes costs like basic medical care costs, hospital treatment or prescription medication.