CZ announces premium for 2025

The Netherlands is still one of the best performing countries in the world when it comes to healthcare, but affordability and staff shortages in the healthcare sector are major challenges for the future. “Fundamental changes are required in healthcare, but thankfully the right choices also create lots of opportunities,” says Joep de Groot, chair of CZ’s board of directors. “In this context we should start by discussing what healthcare actually is, what we as a society want to invest in right now and in which other areas we accept that growth will be a bit less.” According to him, there are opportunities to make healthcare future-proof and even improve it. “But we will only be able to do so if we are willing to make difficult and sometimes unpopular choices.”

Healthcare costs are increasing

Healthcare costs will also increase further next year, making higher premiums unavoidable. “Higher premiums are not a pleasant message to deliver, but there are valid reasons for this. People are increasingly relying on healthcare, in particular due to the ageing population. Additionally, we see healthcare becoming more and more expensive due to increasing wage costs and new treatments,” explains De Groot, emphasising the importance of maximising our focus on opportunities provided by the healthcare transition. “If we don’t change things now, problems will only get worse.”

Healthcare transition provides opportunities

De Groot also sees positive developments. “In recent years, a movement was established that I have not seen before in healthcare. In partnership with healthcare providers, residents, municipalities and other parties, we have shown in various places that solutions are possible. As a health insurer, we are investing heavily in this.”

Actions are crucial for a successful healthcare transition

By now there are many examples that illustrate the transition in healthcare and contribute to its accessibility. Some of these stand out according to De Groot, like the digital transformation of Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in Tilburg and the regional digitalisation approach in southern Limburg. “These show that digitalisation can play a major role in keeping necessary physical healthcare accessible, because advanced digital collaboration, the use of home monitoring and the development of digital healthcare pathways make it possible for patients to receive more healthcare at home and maintain better control of chronic illnesses. The patients get more control, so they are treated faster in a manner that suits them.”

De Groot is also impressed by the initiatives to keep general practitioners accessible. “The impact of the ageing population can also be felt here. In Zeeland and southern Limburg you can see a new approach being used in response to this. The main focus of this approach is to prevent medical care and to see what is really required. Medical care doesn’t always prove to be the best solution. Loneliness, for example, leads to physical symptoms, but volunteer work or a buddy can sometimes be a better remedy.”

CZ is investing to ensure that healthcare innovations and partnership concepts can be applied on a large scale. De Groot knows it is possible based on the examples. “It gives me hope that we can take such important steps forward. In the coming years it is crucial that, rather than reinventing the wheel again and again, we roll out fruitful initiatives on a large scale.”