Health insurance

The Netherlands Cancer Institute has made financial agreements on the coverage of treatment for cancer patients with all insurance providers in the Netherlands. The exact details in the policies of these insurance providers may differ. Not all treatments at the Netherlands Cancer Institute are covered by all insurance providers without additional coverage.

Please ask for information before your treatment

Please consult your insurance policy to find out whether your treatment options will be covered by insurance before your first visit to the Netherlands Cancer Institute. As a patient, it is your responsibility to check whether your treatment is covered by insurance. Are you not sure, or are you curious which treatments at the Netherlands Cancer Institute are covered, and which aren't? Please do not hesitate to contact your health care provider. You can find the contact details on the website of your insurance provider.

Insurance map

The insurance map for all existing insurance packages (including additional coverage) shows an overview of the most important features of your insurance. Click here to see the map.

Your own risk

Most care at the Netherlands Cancer Institute falls under the basic (or standard) insurance coverage. All insurance providers will cover these costs. If you have a budget package, you may not be reimbursed for the full amount at all hospitals (see below).

No matter your insurance package, you will have to pay an own risk fee. For every calendar year, you will need to cover the first 385 euros spent on medical treatment covered by basic health insurance. You may also have to pay a voluntary own risk fee if you have an agreement about this with your health insurance provider. If your treatment is not covered by basic health insurance, it may be covered by additional insurance coverage, or you may have to cover a part of the treatment yourself. This will depend on the type of insurance package you have. Your insurance provider will take the own risk fee from you after processing the hospital bill. You can find more information on your insurance conditions of your health insurance provider.

Do you have additional insurance?

If your treatment is not (fully) covered by basic health insurance, you can take out additional insurance. The treatments covered by additional insurance will be outlined in the insurance conditions. If you do not have additional insurance, you will have to cover the costs of treatment that is not covered by basic health insurance. The Netherlands Cancer Institute will send you the bill for these procedures.

Budget policy

The media is full of studies about budget policies. These policies offer a low premium (monthly fee) while not all treatments at all hospitals are (fully) covered. If you have a budget policy, we recommend contacting your insurance provider to find out whether your treatment plan at the Netherlands Cancer Institute will be covered by your insurance.

What if the NKI does not have a contract with insurance for a particular treatment?

If the Netherlands Cancer Institute could not secure a contract for a particular treatment type, you will have to cover some of the costs for the treatment yourself. The Netherlands Cancer Institute will charge a visiting patient rate. Find the full list of visiting patient rates at the Netherlands Cancer Institute here.

You can switch to an insurance provider that does cover the costs of the treatment. You are allowed to switch insurance package once every year, as long as you cancel your current policy before January 1, and have found new coverage by February 2. This policy will retroactively cover January as well.

Referral

You will need a referral from your general practitioner or specialist at your current institute or hospital before you can come to the Netherlands Cancer Institute for a consultation at the clinic, a second opinion, or treatment. Without a referral, you may have to cover the costs for your visit yourself, or you may have to wait until you can provide a legal referral. Getting a referral is your own responsibility. A referral will be valid for one year.

New insurance provider?

The Netherlands Cancer Institute will send the bill for your care to the health insurance provider where you received your coverage when you first came to the hospital. This health insurance provider will receive your bills, even if you transfer t a different insurance provider during your treatment.

What if you are uninsured?

All people working or living in the Netherlands are legally obliged to take out basic health insurance. if you are uninsured despite this legal obligation, you will need to find basic health insurance coverage as soon as possible. if you do not, you will have to cover the cost of the treatment yourself.