To share my experience Needed a hip replacement, I can pick my own specialist. Waiting time was 3 weeks. I payed total 400 euro out off pocket. The rest was payed by Insurance company. Now i can walk for miles no problems! Thanks to amazing doctor's 🥰
Hi Buncharted, I'm 52, never had any complaints and such but one day (4th april 2024) a weird spot on my tongue made me visit my huisarts. Throatcancer, immediatly all appointments made at a snap of a finger. Laser surgary, 30 radiation sessions etc. 16th of octobre I got the good news that I'm cancer free. Now... you know we complain about the monthly fee we need to pay right and "own risk" (385,-) I got to see the bills that got send from the hospital to my insurance company and it's about 20.000,- euro's. I guess in the US it would be triple that? I'm not complaining anymore, I only payed 385,- euro's.
Had a serious medical emergency in 2023. In total 2 emergency ambulance transports, 22 days in IC-U and almost 90 days in the hospital. Never saw one bill. So gratefull to be dutch / live in NL/Europe. Funny thing, when i eventually came home i had plenty of spare cash because there had been no cost of living like groceries and general expences for over 3 months. I actually saved money lol.
I just had a year with four surgeries. Two for a hip replacement - they had to get a screw out first, and two after a crazy accident with my hand - wont tell the details ... Great hospital, great doctors and other staff. Cost me only the standard deductable, 385 euros. I'd rather not use it, but I am so happy to live in a country with this levelnof affordable health care.
@@sannywicca7504Not when compared to the US. And in countries with free healthcare you pay through taxes. Of course things could improve, but the dutch system is pretty decent.
I used to HARE the health care system 😅 It is so expensive, and the off-time I had to get medicine or treatment, I had to pay out of pocket because of the 'eigen risico'. But now, I'm diagnosed with a chronic illness, and the only medication that helps, is a bi-monthly two-hour hospital visit for an IV treatment... ranging from 900 to 2500 euros each time! 😅 Now I'm very grateful to be able to get this treatment through healthcare! It can be a pain, lots of paperwork, lots of trial and error (due to insurance requirements, they want you to try a cheaper option first, before you get a pricey option etc.) But absolutely worth it when you need the medical care later in life! ❤
hi, i'm a GP. actualy a GP visit is not for free, but it ís completly covered bij your insurence. your insurence pays a subscription fee to your GP of €20-30/3months (depending on your age and where you live) and they pay €12,43 for a regular consult. visits to the GP post (in evening and weekends) is more much expensive, but also completly covered 😉
Even calling the our of hours GP is really expensive (to the insurance). I think it is good that this is fully covered, because otherwise people might delay seeking care that they should really not delay.
it is free for residents since their mandatory health insurance covers the cost fully. i understand that GPs still get paid, of course. and i don’t think anyone would assume their insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of the visit. but the point we’re making is that there’s no reason not to visit the doctor when needed here, since the service is provided at no cost, which is true, even if the cost is actually paid by a middleman (the insurance company).
What you did not cover is that if you are on benefits and a low income ( like me) you will get government support with your health care. So i pay 140 a month, but i get 128 support from the government. Im so greatfull for this living in the Netherlands
@@Eef3216 pretty sure every citizen in the NLD up until a certain income, get zorgtoeslag. I'm not unemployed, i make a comfortable living and i still get it
@@annebokma4637 it is a gliding schale though, if you need to be insured in NL and you have a basic insurance you have the right. how much you get depends on your income, below +/- €25.000 you get the max benefit (zorgtoeslag for the dutch speakers) after €25.000 the amount you get becomes lower until you exceed +/- €39.700 euro's of income. only after exceeding the maximum for the year (+/- €39.700 in 2025) you get nothing. Edit: there is a capital/propperty limit though (bank/savings account, stocks, houses/pieces of land besides your main place of residence) and if that exceeds a certain amount (+/- €141.800) you also have no right irregardless of your income.
And in Belgium you pay 100 Euro per year, while we have more staff, more hospital beds and all the drugs people need. The latter is a huge problem in the Netherlands... On top of that you do not mention that Dutch people have to pay the first 375 Euro on medical bills out of their own pocket.. The Dutch healthcare system is actually the worst in West Europe, and by far the most expensive.
In the Netherlands you are a patient. In the US you are a consumer in a for profit system. In a system free at the point of use you need this gate keeper /regisseur to keep the system effective, efficient and as accessible as possible.
@@PainInTheS It's not free, but it won't bankrupt you. When the medical industry is done with you, the debt industry takes over in the USA. They haunt patients to bankrupt even more people.
btw, fyi the 3 times measuring the bloodpressuree is to exclude stress since its been common knowledge among professionals that after the third time you have less of a stress reaction to the measurement. Is what they told me the multiple times they measured my blood pressure.
Thank You for another great video. You two are so much fun to watch & we always get good info from you. We are moving to the Netherlands later this year!
Once you are a bit older and you visit your GP once or twice a year, they will check your blood pressure. Weight they might check if you are visibly overweight. But generally, they will not do a batch of checks just in case.
My experience with getting a huisarts. When I lived in Amsterdam I had to find a huisarts. I asked people I knew who their huisarts was and then would call to find out they weren’t taking new clients or ones that didn’t speak Dutch and after a few with the same response, I found one myself and just told him I need one for my health insurance but haven’t used one for years in the U.S. so I probably wouldn’t see him after signing up with him, so he agreed. Went to the indoor pool next to the Rijksmuseum, got athletes foot fungus. Went to an apotheke to get some foot fungus spray, was informed that I needed a prescription. Called my Dr. and was told to make an appointment some time in the future or just come in the office and wait if it’s urgent. I go and get a prescription so I can get something for athlete’s foot. Later I get gallstones, so for the planned not going to visit my huisarts, I ended up going a couple times.
Healthcare insurance is not tied to employment, but some employers, usually the larger ones, arranged reduction for their employers on insurance fees at certain healthcare insurance companies. But you're always free to chose if you want to make use of that reduction, or go to an other insurance company.
And I was part of a reduction package that was active years after I quit that job, I got the discount for as long as the deal was, not as long as my employment was.
Also there are Collective Labor Agreements (CAO) wherein states that your employer has to give you an allowance for an additional insurance. I work in construction (office job) and get €20,70 per month for the cheapest kind of additional health insurance, which costs me €19/month (additional health and dental). So my additional health insurance and dental insurance is free for me. I only pay the mandatory basic health insurance. I have a voluntary increased deductible, si not €385 but €885, which gives me a €210 discount on the yearly premium and I pay the whole year in one payment which gives me another small discount (although I don’t know if this is still the case this year, have to look at my insurance bill for that. It used to be 3% discount). Last year I paid a total amount of €1,760 for my insurance for the whole year, basic health insurance, additional health insurance and dental insurance. This year I paid almost €1,900.
Thanks for this y’all. Good information for a wannabe Dutchie. Also, people are quick to blame the insurance conglomerates, but the actual costs of healthcare are absolutely insane. Healthcare conglomerates are a significant contributors to the extremely high costs.
i think they go hand in hand. if a hospital in the US is dealing with someone who’s uninsured, suddenly the costs go way down, since there’s no insurance company on the hook to pay the high fees. the whole system in the US needs to be fixed 🥲
Going to the doctor isn't "free", it's just fully covered by the mandatory health insurance, and has no deductible. Subtle difference, but still. It means that if you _don't_ have health insurance (it's mandatory, but not automatic, or perhaps you're a tourist), you can still go to the doctor but you do actually have to pay. It's usually somewhere between € 15,- per 5 minutes or something like that.
Rademakers was not the original but it was the most well known and longest lasting one that made the otiginal coffee candy. The originnal was made by van Haaren and Nieuwerkerk somewhere in the early 19th century and only since 1880 called Haagse Hopjes.
I got my wisdom tooth extracted, the surgeon advised me to use paracetamol/nurofen combo, should I feel any pain... but the pain never came 😁 The paracetamols and nurofens lie unused in my medicin cabinet.
I'm planning to move to the Netherlands later this year. I'd love to know what insurance company y'all use, since you are pleased with the service you've received.
Be aware that there are 3 kinds of mandatory basic health insurance for people registered at a Dutch municipality and have a Dutch employer. If you have a foreign employer, than you can keep your foreign health insurance. There is a budget one (less choice in hospitals and medical professionals), which could mean you have to travel somewhat longer because the closest hospital doesn’t have a contract with your insurance company. But distances here are certainly not as big as in the US. There is also a medium/middle choice insurance, they have many more contracts with hospitals and medical professionals, so there is almost always one in the vicinity. And there is a free choice insurance, the most expensive one. They have contracts with lots of hospitals and medical professionals and you get a discount at not contracted hospitals and professionals (but only after you asked and was given permission). They all have websites in English, so you can look for the hospitals and medical professionals they have a contract with. You can voluntarily choose for a higher deductible, which gives you a discount on your premium. The standard deductible is €385 and the maximum is €885. I chose for the maximum which gives me a discount of €210 on my yearly premium. I also have an additional health insurance (more free physical therapy than 12 treatments, and a 1 person room i stead of a 4 person hospital room) and a dental insurance. In total I pay almost €1,900 in 2025. There are websites comparing several health insurances, but beware, some of them are owned by insurance companies! Some employers give discounts on insurances (car insurance home insurance, liability insurance etc) at the same insurance company as your health insurance, but there is no discount for the health insurance itself, that’s prohibited. There are some CAO’s (Collective Labor Agreements) which state that your employer has to provide and allowance for an additional health insurance. Like mine, the CAO Bouw & Infra (construction and infrastructural works). Ask your employer’s HR division. Every year you can switch to a better or cheaper health insurance. At December 1st the health insurers have to publish their monthly premium for the next year. You can terminate your health insurance before December 31st (in writing, via email or on their website) and choose a new one before February 1st. It is all done digitally, but you need a BSN and DigID which you get after registering at the municipality. If you don’t have a mandatory basic health insurance after February 1st, you get a fine from the government. A health insurance company cannot refuse you for the mandatory health insurance, but they can refuse you an additional health insurance or a dental insurance. Children up to 18 years are insured on the parent’s or guardian’s insurance policy if they are registered at the beginning of the insurance. So don’t forget to register them.
Ignore any new insurance/Healtcare/Energie/Internet compagnie. Even if they offer you a great profit. Watch them for 1-3 years if they are realy good and honest.
There is a shortage of huisartsen in NL (and that is becoming a problem). The reason you have to get a local huisarts is that they have to be able to make a housecall (and yes they do those) within a set period of time.
@@ronaldderooij1774 Until you are terminally ill and need palliative care (hopefully not for a long time yet!), but then any GP will come to your home.
The prices that the dentist is allowed to charge for interventions are determined each year by the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa). That is why they are the same everywhere. And you forgot to mention the annual deductible of € 380. That deductible does not apply to visits to the doctor, but it does apply to visits to specialists and prescribed medicines. And yes, Dutch healthcare is generally well organised, because outside office hours you can also go to the emergency room where GPs take turns working evenings and weekends. What I find mediocre is the communication. Always fragmented, often somewhat unclear. Healthcare is good at caring, less good at communicating.
I agree with the communication comment, because it is mostly digital. I went to the GP (huisarts) for a spot on my face, many family members have had or still have skin cancer, I think it’s genetic. Because of that I was send to a dermatologist in the hospital. I had to download the hospital app, register and upload all my personal data and because of my BSN (Social Security Number) my medical file for this skin condition was visible, including the referral for the dermatologist. Through the app I made an appointment for the next week. After the checkup of my skin and during the consult, the dermatologist send an email to my pharmacy for a medical cream and told me the skin condition I had and what the treatment was. On my way back from the city hospital to my hometown I went by the pharmacy and the medical cream was already waiting for me. It was a nice surprise, I heard so many bad stories of long waiting times, busy hospitals or unfriendly doctors, but all went good and fluently within 8 days. I never had a medical emergency or any kind of condition, so it was my first time. I did have to pay €59 for the cream because of my deductible, it was automatically debited from my bank account by the insurance company.
Due to the Covid period, waiting lists in healthcare have become longer, as many Covid patients had to go to hospital and many nursing staff where struck by that disease.
Unfortunately, many got hit by long Covid (and still develop long Covid, because the virus is not gone, and repeated infections increase the risk). The two professions with the largest influx into disability benefits due to long Covid are medicine and teaching (both around 15% of new disability benefit awards).
Until 1998, healthcare in the Netherlands was still completely free. At least, this was paid for by tax on your income with a certain percentage. High incomes pay more, low incomes less. A completely different system. Insurance companies did not exist yet. All doctors were still employed. And were in principle employed by the government. You could walk in to the family doctor at certain times. You could walk in to the dentist for a check-up at certain times. Also watch the documentaries by Michael Moore. He once compared this: USA versus Europe
I noticed that there has been a shift in how Americans pronounce “insurance” with the accent on the first syllable as though you expect there to be an “outsurance”.
The referral process really depends on who and which hospital/office you're being referred to I've found. Any time I had to see a specialist or get a test my GP referred me without any issue, and I got an appointment very quickly. Too quickly in one case, and I asked to wait for a treatment. 😁 The main issue with a for profit system is that patients aren't consumers. You can't decide to not use the life saving medication, not really. Well, in the US people are forced to, and then they die. But really, you can't make people choose between homelessness or death. One of the reasons Dutch GPs don't start with lots of tests, is that if there is no need, they're just spending time for no reason, the same goes for taking vitals. For everything you have to choose between testing everyone (or many people) and risking lots of false positives, or low to no benefit. How you weigh that scale is different for every test and every illness you test for (how severe is the illness if it's not caught in time, how high is the rate of false positives/false negatives, etc). And if you're not weighing your own profit as a very important factor you end up doing way fewer tests. One thing I noticed was that lots of people from the US were talking about getting antibiotics for minor colds and other things that really would clear up on their own just as fast. GPs don't really prescribe antibiotics for things like colds, to begin with colds are viruses, so antibiotics don't work, and colds will clear up in a week without any medication. Plus we're on the last version of antibiotics right now, I was reading about some developments on that front, but nothing available to the public yet. Bacteria are getting more resistant and prescribing antibiotics willy nilly will speed that process up even more.
who from the US is talking about expecting antibiotics for a cold? i’ve never had that as an expectation and i’m not sure who would - a cold is a virus, after all i do think americans have an expectation of getting symptom-reducing medicine when they have a cold (stuff to help with a cough or runny nose or something) to help them get through a work day or to sleep better or something, but never antibiotics
@@buncharted2 Some people from the US do expect antibiotics, as they got them in the states as well. Some explanation from the "huisarts" is usually enough to convince them otherwise. I've experienced a couple of people complaining about it to me, but that were just lost causes in my opinion.
@@buncharted2 That's what they told me. I couldn't believe it the first time it happened to me, but when it happened again with unrelated people, what am I supposed to think?
@@buncharted2I think it's just a completely different approach to what the doctor is for. Also with other European countries the Dutch are more hands off. The doctor is for instance not there to get you through a workday with a cold. You're not supposed to work. It's more about is there a medical issue someone needs help with overcoming or can they manage on their own or with just some advice. Is being sick for a week something that needs a doctor? Does that need chemicals with side effects? This is all reviewed to have similar outcomes as other countries that prescribe more medication.
My GDP always used to have a look at the specialist waiting list and make an appointment for you, in the nearest or even better hospital in the area. Sadly now he has retired and I have no experience with the new one.
I do feel like the Dutch insurance "landscape" is slowly turning into an "american landscape" more and more though, or maybe I mean "more capitalist". It used to be even more convenient back in the days if you can imagine it. Now there's more and more insurance companies popping up, less basic coverage year after year, it's getting more expensive :S Still good enough, but for how long. Edit: I feel many foreigners usually want antibiotics for things like the flu or throat infections etc. and they complain that Dutch doctors never prescribe them and "advice the paracetamol". But the Dutch are very strict about preventing antibiotic resistance, unlike other countries I feel.
Fact is antibiotics do not help with a virus infection like the flu (influenza), when they advise paracetamol it is more to keep bacterial infections at bay as not to get further complications.
What is your opinion about Dutch music artists. I got a few tips ; Calm after the storm from common limits, the song 'praat Nederlands met me' from Kenny B, the song Europapa from Joost, and Martin Garrix with the song 'animals'
Ik ga bij een grote tandartsenpraktijk. Ze zijn in de avond ook open. Dat vind ik fijn i.v.m. mijn werk. Na de mondhygiënist wil ik nooit meer eten. Zo schoon! 😊Is toch wel prettig.
Before anyone reads I want to put a note that this comment is not asking for (medical) advice, I am only sharing experience and recent let down. Unfortunately I live in an area where the healthcare is,, very bad in comparision to the rest of the Netherlands. (AFAIK) my friend from Friesland gets amazing help! I am happy for it. Sadly for me it is not so the case (and many people here) So much so, those from other regions just are too shocked to even believe me. It got to a point where I made my friends from other areas tag along with me to my appointments or listen to my call with doctor/hospitals/mental health care before. Despite my friends being even from very different areas from one another, they all reacted the same: disgusted reaction of how this is possible. I am still denied help, surgery and physical help. Today I went to the doctor to ask for earcanal surgery that the emergency room suggested I'd think about getting. The doctor said to me "I never heard about such a surgery even existing and I have many patients. They all turn out fine at some point." I was SHOCKED. I said "It was a recommendation from the ER, and I would like to consider it so I wanted to talk about it" His, and other doctors said: "Well, the ER are no doctors." I am very depressed. I am terrified. Not only do they refuse to wvwn look into this possibility or even take their time to learn about it, they have so far blamed all my permanent disabilities that are consequences of them treating it as "Well you should've come sooner!" But since teenager I am refused. The next thing that'd be "too late" would be my hearing, I cannot bear it anymore. I cannot move out either, I don't want to - I like it here. A while ago, I decided to ask any doctor/specialist/therapist I had my hands on "Why does it seem so easy for others to get help but not for me?" (regarding how good it is at other regions) They said "You are a victim of bureaucracy and our hands are tied". I don't blame the doctors, but I don't understand the answer too well. At neuroward, two unalived themselves, they covered it up and we were not allowed to mention it. It was terrifying. I do like my doctor, so I do not blame it personally on him, his skill or anyone else that I am in touch with in healthcare. I just have a feeling quietly it's not as "grand" as I see YT make it to be. (BTW I am native Dutch born and raised, I am not a tourist/immigrant) I speak from personal experience from birth. My family is very heartbroken for me. When I was 16 I had overdose on "paracetamol/etc" type medications because they subscribed me OVER the limit for my BMI. I had to go to the doctor after recovery to see if I was OK. The (former) doctor said "Ah, I will scribe you some extras, but less strong. Take them twice a week" without me having expressed any sort of pain, just nausea. I remember that was the first shock I ever had - from there things went downhills. Sadly, whenever I speak of my experiences, more times than not people roll their eyes at me. "It's not that bad" or get scolded for "speaking down on our country". Those who listened I made witness, and I am at the end of my wits. I wish people would put their pride down a bit and realize not everywhere is as "picture perfect". On positive note: My mother had hip replacement surgery, it was amazing compared to 20 years ago. This made me so happy and feel more secure. I know it's not all bad and terrible all the time - I have much respect for our healthcare from what I hear about in other areas in NL! But sadly, it's quite bad for me. :(
I would try to get another GP or put in a formal complaint you don't have to take that from your GP.. Your GP is deffintely not the standard what is required by law.
Unfortunately because the GP is the gatekeeper to proper healthcare in the Netherlands it is very much hit and miss with what quality of healthcare you're going to get. The GP in my area isn't great either. Chronic fatigue. Basic blood tests come back fine, so I am fine regardless of what I feel. Being dismissed by the GP is exhausting. People say switch GP as if that's so easy; majority of GPs have a patient stop they're not taking on any new ones.
An emergency doctor is not able to do a full assessment of an issue so their diagnosis are to be taken to a different doctor. If you're GP says there is nothing wrong you can ask them to refer you to a KNO specialist. If your GP is not willing to refer you to a KNO specialist you could try and get another GP. If a KNO specialist says the treatment is not needed there is probably a good reason for them to shut it down.
A well known saying here, when you have a bad cold or a mild flu, the dokter will say: "I can give you no drugs for this, and it wil take you 2 weeks to recover. I can prescribe some drugs and it will take you 14 days... When you feel bad: take a paracetamol."
If they think that you have a bacterial infection that you will not clear on your own, they will prescribe antibiotics. Due to antibiotic resistance they do not prescribe it unless they think that you will benefit from it. Sometimes they will say that you should try for a certain number of days without a prescription and come back when symptoms have not improved or got worse.
@18:45, a huge mental hurdle for people coming from another country to overcome when going to the doctor. Ummm only if that other country is the USandA.
Normally if the docter gives you a referal for a specialist they give you a zorgdomijn code. The moment you get it you can call the hospital of choice give them the code and they instantly will book the appointment, that by law can max take 4 weeks.
Taking vitals... when you have an ingrown toe-nail.... blood-pressure is not the issue.... get to the problem and don't beat the bush.... Welcome to Dutch directness... :)
1 opmerking. De huisarts bezoeken is vrij van kosten, jou bezoek wordt vergoed door je zorgverzekering. Ik heb zelf de tandartsverzekering opgezegd. Ik ga gewoon 2x per jaar, betaal 40 euro voor dit bezoek en tandsteenverwijderen. Mijn oude tandartsverzekering betaalde ik 35 euro per maand. Ik zou zeggen, do the math.
I haven´t had a Hopje since I was a kid (makes me part of the problem, oops) but yes, when I heard the news I thought about yall first LOL Kind of weird...
If someone says the doctor prescribed them paracetamol they are telling on themselves for going to the doctor for no reason. Keeping the doctor from seeing patients at their house, helping regular patients with their ongoing issues, the patients who are in the final stage of their lives and seeing people who are actually in need of medical attention. Of course it's not a problem if a doctor has to just tell you it's going to be fine every once in a while but if this is a regular experience to someone they have to do some soul searching.
Ik heb elk half jaar controle bij de tandarts en de mondhygienist en ik haat die mondhygienst behandelingen. Vooral dat schoonmaakapparaat voor je tanden wat een verschrikkelijk hoge pieptoon maakt wat je echt niet kan blokkeren. Mijn tandarts heb ik al zo'n 20 jaar. Ze zijn 5 dagen per week open tussen 8 uur 's ochtends en 5 uur 's middags (oosten van het land)
When you said you slipped your doctor a 20 to get better service, I spit out my coffee. I would have liked to know what he would have done though. But I'm also glad it was a just a joke.
Living here almost 14 yrs now, I see that the GP's here are 'reactive' and not 'proactive' In most cases. If you have a legitimate issue, then no, they will help, but lets say you want to get tests for something, like a colonoscopy, then you are out of luck. The only way to get a screening is if they see a reason to have the test done. In this case, they need to see blood in your stool. but I thought that would mean its more serious than if you had a screening and had polyps removed? As for Dentists, I have all but good experiences with them, But I do ask them to use the metal hook to clean and not use the ultrasonic cleaner on my teeth. Its also every 6 months for me.
A colonoscopy might also reveal an issue that would go away on its own but since you found it you're now taking medication with side effects or have a surgery that can cause issues. If proactive is better they do change the protocols but if not they stay reactive.
I nearly died because of this system. My illness wasn't taken seriously. The doctors didn't properly test me when I had pneumonia, I got the wrong medications. I was denied an ambulance when I thought I was going to choke to death because 'it must have been a panic attack' only to end up getting an ambulance next day and ending up on IC. It could have been prevented had they properly tested me in time. I needed doxicycline, not amoxicycline. Months after my health still was ruined. If you can find a way to blast away through the lionsgate of GP frontoffice and all first responders bullshit to deny you healthcare to get to the specialists and 'interne geneeskunde', you have a fighting chance. Otherwise you might end up being duped. I do know I probably would have been homeless too if I were in america and completely bankrupt. So I guess it's ok.
Question: If going to the ER is not justified , then then how could they send you a bill? Not sick = no treatment = no bill .... Treatment = illness = justified. >>> so weird !
two things: Ambulance is Free ! ALWAYS ... and when using huisarts as in between can also be an acceleration... if he/she thinks you have to skip waiting line at specialist you will ALWAYS skip the waiting line.
In the UK, last time a lion tore one of my arms off, and ate it, the NHS doctor prescribed paracetamol and told me to come back in two weeks if it didn’t get better…..
No, that's not true. They never prescribe Paracetamol that regularly. Only for pain relief, if needed instead of the highly addictive and OP opiates based painkillers in the US. Never heard that one either. Who told you that one 🤔?!
it's a stereotype, it's commonly referenced on reddit, as an example... but we point out in the podcast that it isn't our experience (except for the dutch doctor in japan, hehe) also, fyi- opioid prescriptions in the US continue to decline, it was a terrible campaign by the pharma companies that people eventually wised up to www.statista.com/statistics/753149/total-number-of-opioid-rx-prescriptions-in-us/
@buncharted2 Am seriously curious who started that "alternative fact" on reddit 🤔. I've never come across it or had it mentioned to me before as a Dutchman.
Indeed a 'huisarts' only takes your blood presure when the complaint is related, e.g. 'I feel my heart beating' of 'I'm tired all day'. But having complaints about coughing, your weight or heart rhytm would not be very important. And no, paracetamol is not always described! I know that for a fact. (BTW I am having different health issues, but paracetamol was described only once, by the dentist....) About the dentist: indeed a lot of people woll not insure the dental care. To be honest: that is stupid. One time you will NEED the dentist! And than it will be a big comfort to know that it is insured! Believe me, I had to have a tooth pulled... And yes , I was insured! At another dentist in another city! No problem, just give them your insurance number and done! To be honest: insure dental care, it is a must for your teeth!
Actually no, the premium of dental insurance is often higher than the average yearly cost, unless, like said, you have a dental issue. But then the insured amount is capped at often twice the premium. It is a bad deal for most people. And, for children under 18, dental care is insured. The only insurance that is useful is emergency dental care for the event you have severe damage due to an accident.
They will also take your blood pressure when you are a bit older, or when you had elevated blood pressure before. They will also take into account how long ago it was that they took your blood pressure. There is no point taking your blood pressure every 2 to 3 months, unless you started medication to lower it.
The Dutch huisarts will not perform unnecessary tests, why measure your length when you want to discuss a stomach ache? The Americans do as every test they do they can charge. Medication is much cheaper in the Netherlands as the purchasing of medication is centralized through the insurance companies in cooperation with the pharmacies who can agree on better prices because of the bulk. That is how I understand it at least, correct me when I am wrong. That is one of the main reasons everything is centralized here, a concept most Americans, especially republicans, are so afraid of.
You can call it a network, but insurance companies have contracts with care providers in basically all the fields. It is in the interest of the company to have as many contracted providers as possible. Because of these contracts, they can negotiate a lower price. This results in a lower premium. So it is in the interest of the companies to have as many contractors as possible. The cheapest insurances are so cheap, because you're hardly covered when you want to go to a provider that doesn't have a contract. The more expensive ones give you more options. But the packages are all the same since it is determined by law. When you're healthy and you probably won't be needing any care, you would choose the cheapest one.
And then not discussed the cost for a ambulance taking you to hospital in case needed... ehhhh free... it's a emergency item so no payment needed..... And then just thinking we Dutch are complaining about health care here in Holland.... hahahahahaha
My experience is take a high own risk (€885) and pay a low monthly amount. Your basic insurance covers most of the costs so add-ons are not very beneficial.
That's only when you do not expect to need medication or treatments other than by your GP. Only the GP services are covered, but if your blood needs to be analysed in the lab, you will pay it from those 885 Euro.
I don't like to talk politics but at this moment i watch your video, Trump is inaugurated and i am afraid for the americans a plan is still not there for a decent health care under Trump. Will it ever be better in the US?🌷🌷🌷
Totally concur that the best part about healthcare in the NL is that you will never be in a medical emergency and not be able to afford it. Something glossed over which I find to be the biggest drawback is that the NL does not have a proper system for screening or differential diagnosis. The “horror stories” that I hear are situations where you are denied getting a test, X-ray, MRI, etc when it’s potentially life threatening such as cancer. It’s not such an unusual experience for Dutch people to seek healthcare in other countries (Belgium or Germany) to undergo testing. That being said, if you bring any diagnosis to your GP, you will generally get the treatment and care you need. Another related drawback is if you have an understudied, poorly understood, or rare disease, there may be little to no resources for you in the NL. If you have a very established disease, like diabetes or cardiovascular issues, you’ll be more than fine. But if you have PCOS, SIBO, endometriosis, or rare diseases (eg genetic), your GP might scoff at your condition because there’s very little they can do or don’t bother giving you a referral (which is quite a contrast from the US).
I've had the opposite experience. My GP is very willing to refer me to a specialist or test whatever I ask for, or she thinks is needed. And I've never had any kind of dismissive reaction to a question, and I have PCOS.
You have to advocate for yourself. If you have symptoms for those conditions, such as endometriosis, you have to specifically ask whether they can offer tests to rule that out. For endometriosis, surgery is the only certain way to diagnose it, so the GP is unlikely to write a referral for that unless you are completely disabled by it.
Do you have one of the above described diseases and actually speaking out of experience that your GP refused to give you a referral for a specialist? Because I have never experienced that my GP was not willing to refer me to a specialist whenever I asked for it.
@ Yes, I was diagnosed in the US before moving to the NL and even given a prescription protocol. I just get told “we do things differently here”. Again, this is only for diseases which are poorly understood. The Dutch medical guidelines are strongly evidence-based, which is in theory what it should be, but comes with some odd consequences, such as if the disease or its treatment hasn’t been studied for decades. Or if a medication works for only 20% if patients, the Dutch guidelines might advise against it, but you might be part of that group that benefits. Sometimes medicine involves a bit of both ‘art’ and science, trial and error, but I don’t think that’s the Dutch way.
Just imagine, that healthcare in the Netherlands is 12x more expensive in the Netherlands than in the countries around them, while having less staff and hospital beds, and that you can't get about 2500 different kinds of drugs that are available the moment you cross the border. Worst healthcare system of West Europe can be found in the Netherlands.
How do you know it's the worst of Europe? Have you lived in all European countries? And even, in one country it may vary a lot, north to south, city to countryside. I am dutch and live now for 14 years in northern Italy, where healthcare is supposed to be a lot better than in the south. If I would ever become chronically ill, or would be pregnant again, I move back to the Netherlands immediately. Waiting time for a specialists appointment is almost always more than a year. So, you make a private appointment, and you need to wait only a month. You pay around 150 euro (or 110 in cadh) for a visit of max 10 minutes. This is only 1 example, I can go on and on.
To share my experience
Needed a hip replacement, I can pick my own specialist. Waiting time was 3 weeks. I payed total 400 euro out off pocket. The rest was payed by Insurance company.
Now i can walk for miles no problems!
Thanks to amazing doctor's 🥰
Hi Buncharted,
I'm 52, never had any complaints and such but one day (4th april 2024) a weird spot on my tongue made me visit my huisarts.
Throatcancer, immediatly all appointments made at a snap of a finger. Laser surgary, 30 radiation sessions etc.
16th of octobre I got the good news that I'm cancer free.
Now... you know we complain about the monthly fee we need to pay right and "own risk" (385,-)
I got to see the bills that got send from the hospital to my insurance company and it's about 20.000,- euro's. I guess in the US it would be triple that?
I'm not complaining anymore, I only payed 385,- euro's.
Kankervrij, wat goed! 😃
Op naar de volgende 52 jaar! 😊🌷
Had a serious medical emergency in 2023. In total 2 emergency ambulance transports, 22 days in IC-U and almost 90 days in the hospital.
Never saw one bill. So gratefull to be dutch / live in NL/Europe.
Funny thing, when i eventually came home i had plenty of spare cash because there had been no cost of living like groceries and general expences for over 3 months. I actually saved money lol.
I just had a year with four surgeries. Two for a hip replacement - they had to get a screw out first, and two after a crazy accident with my hand - wont tell the details ... Great hospital, great doctors and other staff. Cost me only the standard deductable, 385 euros. I'd rather not use it, but I am so happy to live in a country with this levelnof affordable health care.
Als je t echt nodig hebt is het er en werkt het formidabel, voor weinig.
you forget to say what your healthcare cost you every month..De prijzen in Nederland zijn krankzinnig ...
@@sannywicca7504Not when compared to the US. And in countries with free healthcare you pay through taxes. Of course things could improve, but the dutch system is pretty decent.
I used to HARE the health care system 😅 It is so expensive, and the off-time I had to get medicine or treatment, I had to pay out of pocket because of the 'eigen risico'.
But now, I'm diagnosed with a chronic illness, and the only medication that helps, is a bi-monthly two-hour hospital visit for an IV treatment... ranging from 900 to 2500 euros each time! 😅
Now I'm very grateful to be able to get this treatment through healthcare! It can be a pain, lots of paperwork, lots of trial and error (due to insurance requirements, they want you to try a cheaper option first, before you get a pricey option etc.)
But absolutely worth it when you need the medical care later in life! ❤
hi, i'm a GP. actualy a GP visit is not for free, but it ís completly covered bij your insurence. your insurence pays a subscription fee to your GP of €20-30/3months (depending on your age and where you live) and they pay €12,43 for a regular consult.
visits to the GP post (in evening and weekends) is more much expensive, but also completly covered 😉
Even calling the our of hours GP is really expensive (to the insurance). I think it is good that this is fully covered, because otherwise people might delay seeking care that they should really not delay.
it is free for residents since their mandatory health insurance covers the cost fully. i understand that GPs still get paid, of course. and i don’t think anyone would assume their insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of the visit. but the point we’re making is that there’s no reason not to visit the doctor when needed here, since the service is provided at no cost, which is true, even if the cost is actually paid by a middleman (the insurance company).
What you did not cover is that if you are on benefits and a low income ( like me) you will get government support with your health care. So i pay 140 a month, but i get 128 support from the government. Im so greatfull for this living in the Netherlands
Also for student the zorgtoeslag
It is a shame there is a hard limit on it and not a gliding scale. People with just a few euro over the limit are still struggling
@@Eef3216 pretty sure every citizen in the NLD up until a certain income, get zorgtoeslag. I'm not unemployed, i make a comfortable living and i still get it
@@annebokma4637 it is a gliding schale though, if you need to be insured in NL and you have a basic insurance you have the right.
how much you get depends on your income, below +/- €25.000 you get the max benefit (zorgtoeslag for the dutch speakers) after €25.000 the amount you get becomes lower until you exceed +/- €39.700 euro's of income. only after exceeding the maximum for the year (+/- €39.700 in 2025) you get nothing.
Edit: there is a capital/propperty limit though (bank/savings account, stocks, houses/pieces of land besides your main place of residence) and if that exceeds a certain amount (+/- €141.800) you also have no right irregardless of your income.
And in Belgium you pay 100 Euro per year, while we have more staff, more hospital beds and all the drugs people need. The latter is a huge problem in the Netherlands... On top of that you do not mention that Dutch people have to pay the first 375 Euro on medical bills out of their own pocket..
The Dutch healthcare system is actually the worst in West Europe, and by far the most expensive.
In the Netherlands you are a patient. In the US you are a consumer in a for profit system. In a system free at the point of use you need this gate keeper /regisseur to keep the system effective, efficient and as accessible as possible.
Don't kid yourself, it's the same over here. 🤣
Keep the dream a live. The ambulance is free.
@@petrwindmeijer7542 Nothing is free! We all pay for it.
Free things.....yeah right. 🤣
@@PainInTheS It's not free, but it won't bankrupt you.
When the medical industry is done with you, the debt industry takes over in the USA. They haunt patients to bankrupt even more people.
@PainInTheS yep but we can call the ambulance for every victum.
btw, fyi the 3 times measuring the bloodpressuree is to exclude stress since its been common knowledge among professionals that after the third time you have less of a stress reaction to the measurement. Is what they told me the multiple times they measured my blood pressure.
These vlogs are great btw. Keep them up!
Thank You for another great video. You two are so much fun to watch & we always get good info from you. We are moving to the Netherlands later this year!
Good luck with the move and welcome to the Netherlands. 😊🌷
Once you are a bit older and you visit your GP once or twice a year, they will check your blood pressure. Weight they might check if you are visibly overweight. But generally, they will not do a batch of checks just in case.
My experience with getting a huisarts. When I lived in Amsterdam I had to find a huisarts. I asked people I knew who their huisarts was and then would call to find out they weren’t taking new clients or ones that didn’t speak Dutch and after a few with the same response, I found one myself and just told him I need one for my health insurance but haven’t used one for years in the U.S. so I probably wouldn’t see him after signing up with him, so he agreed.
Went to the indoor pool next to the Rijksmuseum, got athletes foot fungus. Went to an apotheke to get some foot fungus spray, was informed that I needed a prescription. Called my Dr. and was told to make an appointment some time in the future or just come in the office and wait if it’s urgent. I go and get a prescription so I can get something for athlete’s foot.
Later I get gallstones, so for the planned not going to visit my huisarts, I ended up going a couple times.
Then you probably asked for a specific anti-fungal spray. Regular miconazole cream is available over the counter.
Healthcare insurance is not tied to employment, but some employers, usually the larger ones, arranged reduction for their employers on insurance fees at certain healthcare insurance companies. But you're always free to chose if you want to make use of that reduction, or go to an other insurance company.
And I was part of a reduction package that was active years after I quit that job, I got the discount for as long as the deal was, not as long as my employment was.
Also there are Collective Labor Agreements (CAO) wherein states that your employer has to give you an allowance for an additional insurance. I work in construction (office job) and get €20,70 per month for the cheapest kind of additional health insurance, which costs me €19/month (additional health and dental). So my additional health insurance and dental insurance is free for me. I only pay the mandatory basic health insurance. I have a voluntary increased deductible, si not €385 but €885, which gives me a €210 discount on the yearly premium and I pay the whole year in one payment which gives me another small discount (although I don’t know if this is still the case this year, have to look at my insurance bill for that. It used to be 3% discount). Last year I paid a total amount of €1,760 for my insurance for the whole year, basic health insurance, additional health insurance and dental insurance. This year I paid almost €1,900.
Thanks for this y’all. Good information for a wannabe Dutchie. Also, people are quick to blame the insurance conglomerates, but the actual costs of healthcare are absolutely insane. Healthcare conglomerates are a significant contributors to the extremely high costs.
Health care is expensive but healthcare as a source of income for the share holders is not how healthcare is supposed to be!
i think they go hand in hand. if a hospital in the US is dealing with someone who’s uninsured, suddenly the costs go way down, since there’s no insurance company on the hook to pay the high fees. the whole system in the US needs to be fixed 🥲
It also has to do with the extremely high salaries of doctors in the US compared to the Netherlands and most other countries.
Going to the doctor isn't "free", it's just fully covered by the mandatory health insurance, and has no deductible. Subtle difference, but still.
It means that if you _don't_ have health insurance (it's mandatory, but not automatic, or perhaps you're a tourist), you can still go to the doctor but you do actually have to pay. It's usually somewhere between € 15,- per 5 minutes or something like that.
that’s not really a “difference”… and with that argument, nothing is free 😉
@@buncharted2 Sure.
Rademakers was not the original but it was the most well known and longest lasting one that made the otiginal coffee candy. The originnal was made by van Haaren and Nieuwerkerk somewhere in the early 19th century and only since 1880 called Haagse Hopjes.
I feel in te Netherlands there are huge differences in dentists. The type dentist you describe in Cincinnati are here too in my experience.
yeah, i figured as much... we only have experience with one dentist here so far
Hey guys goeiemorgen, bedankt for another good one.
(thinking of Pants 🙏)
Hope you guys are doing ok, have a good one. 😊🌷
I got my wisdom tooth extracted, the surgeon advised me to use paracetamol/nurofen combo, should I feel any pain... but the pain never came 😁 The paracetamols and nurofens lie unused in my medicin cabinet.
I'm planning to move to the Netherlands later this year. I'd love to know what insurance company y'all use, since you are pleased with the service you've received.
message us on instagram! @buncharted
You can make your own choice on 'independer' or 'zorgkiezer'. These sites compare all the companies. They are all quite comparable.
Be aware that there are 3 kinds of mandatory basic health insurance for people registered at a Dutch municipality and have a Dutch employer. If you have a foreign employer, than you can keep your foreign health insurance. There is a budget one (less choice in hospitals and medical professionals), which could mean you have to travel somewhat longer because the closest hospital doesn’t have a contract with your insurance company. But distances here are certainly not as big as in the US. There is also a medium/middle choice insurance, they have many more contracts with hospitals and medical professionals, so there is almost always one in the vicinity. And there is a free choice insurance, the most expensive one. They have contracts with lots of hospitals and medical professionals and you get a discount at not contracted hospitals and professionals (but only after you asked and was given permission). They all have websites in English, so you can look for the hospitals and medical professionals they have a contract with. You can voluntarily choose for a higher deductible, which gives you a discount on your premium. The standard deductible is €385 and the maximum is €885. I chose for the maximum which gives me a discount of €210 on my yearly premium. I also have an additional health insurance (more free physical therapy than 12 treatments, and a 1 person room i stead of a 4 person hospital room) and a dental insurance. In total I pay almost €1,900 in 2025. There are websites comparing several health insurances, but beware, some of them are owned by insurance companies! Some employers give discounts on insurances (car insurance home insurance, liability insurance etc) at the same insurance company as your health insurance, but there is no discount for the health insurance itself, that’s prohibited. There are some CAO’s (Collective Labor Agreements) which state that your employer has to provide and allowance for an additional health insurance. Like mine, the CAO Bouw & Infra (construction and infrastructural works). Ask your employer’s HR division. Every year you can switch to a better or cheaper health insurance. At December 1st the health insurers have to publish their monthly premium for the next year. You can terminate your health insurance before December 31st (in writing, via email or on their website) and choose a new one before February 1st. It is all done digitally, but you need a BSN and DigID which you get after registering at the municipality. If you don’t have a mandatory basic health insurance after February 1st, you get a fine from the government. A health insurance company cannot refuse you for the mandatory health insurance, but they can refuse you an additional health insurance or a dental insurance. Children up to 18 years are insured on the parent’s or guardian’s insurance policy if they are registered at the beginning of the insurance. So don’t forget to register them.
Ignore any new insurance/Healtcare/Energie/Internet compagnie.
Even if they offer you a great profit.
Watch them for 1-3 years if they are realy good and honest.
There is a shortage of huisartsen in NL (and that is becoming a problem). The reason you have to get a local huisarts is that they have to be able to make a housecall (and yes they do those) within a set period of time.
No housecalls where I live in the Netherlands. None.
@@ronaldderooij1774 we do have housecalls, if you cant travel (elders, to much pain) they come to your house
@@ronaldderooij1774 Until you are terminally ill and need palliative care (hopefully not for a long time yet!), but then any GP will come to your home.
The prices that the dentist is allowed to charge for interventions are determined each year by the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa). That is why they are the same everywhere. And you forgot to mention the annual deductible of € 380. That deductible does not apply to visits to the doctor, but it does apply to visits to specialists and prescribed medicines. And yes, Dutch healthcare is generally well organised, because outside office hours you can also go to the emergency room where GPs take turns working evenings and weekends. What I find mediocre is the communication. Always fragmented, often somewhat unclear. Healthcare is good at caring, less good at communicating.
I agree with the communication comment, because it is mostly digital. I went to the GP (huisarts) for a spot on my face, many family members have had or still have skin cancer, I think it’s genetic. Because of that I was send to a dermatologist in the hospital. I had to download the hospital app, register and upload all my personal data and because of my BSN (Social Security Number) my medical file for this skin condition was visible, including the referral for the dermatologist. Through the app I made an appointment for the next week. After the checkup of my skin and during the consult, the dermatologist send an email to my pharmacy for a medical cream and told me the skin condition I had and what the treatment was. On my way back from the city hospital to my hometown I went by the pharmacy and the medical cream was already waiting for me. It was a nice surprise, I heard so many bad stories of long waiting times, busy hospitals or unfriendly doctors, but all went good and fluently within 8 days. I never had a medical emergency or any kind of condition, so it was my first time. I did have to pay €59 for the cream because of my deductible, it was automatically debited from my bank account by the insurance company.
Next to the €385 Eigen and risico, there is also Eigen bijdrage, it's not the same
If you want a Haagse Hopjes replacement, try Zeeuwse (Roomboter)babbelaars or Indonesian Kopiko candy (AH)!
Why you put the micstands behind you only the arm with the microphone visible?
they don’t reach over the couch?
if you don’t want to see the mic arms, the podcast is audio only on apple podcasts, spotify, etc
Often the USA is not included in the world insurance or they pay only estimated dutch prices.
I love hopjesvla but I haven't seen it in the supermarket for ages.
That candy was never yummy...😂😂 glad its gone.
Saying this as a Dutch guy.
Due to the Covid period, waiting lists in healthcare have become longer, as many Covid patients had to go to hospital and many nursing staff where struck by that disease.
Unfortunately, many got hit by long Covid (and still develop long Covid, because the virus is not gone, and repeated infections increase the risk). The two professions with the largest influx into disability benefits due to long Covid are medicine and teaching (both around 15% of new disability benefit awards).
Until 1998, healthcare in the Netherlands was still completely free. At least, this was paid for by tax on your income with a certain percentage. High incomes pay more, low incomes less. A completely different system. Insurance companies did not exist yet. All doctors were still employed. And were in principle employed by the government. You could walk in to the family doctor at certain times. You could walk in to the dentist for a check-up at certain times. Also watch the documentaries by Michael Moore. He once compared this: USA versus Europe
Insurance companies existed even back then, particulier and ziekenfonds, in 2006 during Balkenende they changed it
@dutchgamer842 it starts with the dentist in 1998, during the purple government .
This time I give you 9 stars!
wait not 10?? 😂
I noticed that there has been a shift in how Americans pronounce “insurance” with the accent on the first syllable as though you expect there to be an “outsurance”.
you’re really reaching for commentary here 😛
The referral process really depends on who and which hospital/office you're being referred to I've found.
Any time I had to see a specialist or get a test my GP referred me without any issue, and I got an appointment very quickly. Too quickly in one case, and I asked to wait for a treatment. 😁
The main issue with a for profit system is that patients aren't consumers. You can't decide to not use the life saving medication, not really. Well, in the US people are forced to, and then they die. But really, you can't make people choose between homelessness or death.
One of the reasons Dutch GPs don't start with lots of tests, is that if there is no need, they're just spending time for no reason, the same goes for taking vitals. For everything you have to choose between testing everyone (or many people) and risking lots of false positives, or low to no benefit. How you weigh that scale is different for every test and every illness you test for (how severe is the illness if it's not caught in time, how high is the rate of false positives/false negatives, etc). And if you're not weighing your own profit as a very important factor you end up doing way fewer tests.
One thing I noticed was that lots of people from the US were talking about getting antibiotics for minor colds and other things that really would clear up on their own just as fast. GPs don't really prescribe antibiotics for things like colds, to begin with colds are viruses, so antibiotics don't work, and colds will clear up in a week without any medication. Plus we're on the last version of antibiotics right now, I was reading about some developments on that front, but nothing available to the public yet. Bacteria are getting more resistant and prescribing antibiotics willy nilly will speed that process up even more.
who from the US is talking about expecting antibiotics for a cold? i’ve never had that as an expectation and i’m not sure who would - a cold is a virus, after all
i do think americans have an expectation of getting symptom-reducing medicine when they have a cold (stuff to help with a cough or runny nose or something) to help them get through a work day or to sleep better or something, but never antibiotics
@@buncharted2 Some people from the US do expect antibiotics, as they got them in the states as well. Some explanation from the "huisarts" is usually enough to convince them otherwise. I've experienced a couple of people complaining about it to me, but that were just lost causes in my opinion.
@keesboons for a cold though?
@@buncharted2 That's what they told me. I couldn't believe it the first time it happened to me, but when it happened again with unrelated people, what am I supposed to think?
@@buncharted2I think it's just a completely different approach to what the doctor is for. Also with other European countries the Dutch are more hands off.
The doctor is for instance not there to get you through a workday with a cold. You're not supposed to work.
It's more about is there a medical issue someone needs help with overcoming or can they manage on their own or with just some advice. Is being sick for a week something that needs a doctor? Does that need chemicals with side effects?
This is all reviewed to have similar outcomes as other countries that prescribe more medication.
My GDP always used to have a look at the specialist waiting list and make an appointment for you, in the nearest or even better hospital in the area.
Sadly now he has retired and I have no experience with the new one.
Haagse Hopjes is Dutch culture
It should be subsidized to keep them in production
I do feel like the Dutch insurance "landscape" is slowly turning into an "american landscape" more and more though, or maybe I mean "more capitalist". It used to be even more convenient back in the days if you can imagine it. Now there's more and more insurance companies popping up, less basic coverage year after year, it's getting more expensive :S Still good enough, but for how long. Edit: I feel many foreigners usually want antibiotics for things like the flu or throat infections etc. and they complain that Dutch doctors never prescribe them and "advice the paracetamol". But the Dutch are very strict about preventing antibiotic resistance, unlike other countries I feel.
Fact is antibiotics do not help with a virus infection like the flu (influenza), when they advise paracetamol it is more to keep bacterial infections at bay as not to get further complications.
What is your opinion about Dutch music artists. I got a few tips ; Calm after the storm from common limits, the song 'praat Nederlands met me' from Kenny B, the song Europapa from Joost, and Martin Garrix with the song 'animals'
2:30 didn’t even know Napoleon made a version of Haagse Hopjes. 😮
Ik ga bij een grote tandartsenpraktijk. Ze zijn in de avond ook open. Dat vind ik fijn i.v.m. mijn werk. Na de mondhygiënist wil ik nooit meer eten. Zo schoon! 😊Is toch wel prettig.
Before anyone reads I want to put a note that this comment is not asking for (medical) advice, I am only sharing experience and recent let down.
Unfortunately I live in an area where the healthcare is,, very bad in comparision to the rest of the Netherlands. (AFAIK) my friend from Friesland gets amazing help! I am happy for it.
Sadly for me it is not so the case (and many people here) So much so, those from other regions just are too shocked to even believe me.
It got to a point where I made my friends from other areas tag along with me to my appointments or listen to my call with doctor/hospitals/mental health care before.
Despite my friends being even from very different areas from one another, they all reacted the same: disgusted reaction of how this is possible.
I am still denied help, surgery and physical help. Today I went to the doctor to ask for earcanal surgery that the emergency room suggested I'd think about getting.
The doctor said to me "I never heard about such a surgery even existing and I have many patients. They all turn out fine at some point." I was SHOCKED.
I said "It was a recommendation from the ER, and I would like to consider it so I wanted to talk about it" His, and other doctors said:
"Well, the ER are no doctors." I am very depressed. I am terrified. Not only do they refuse to wvwn look into this possibility or even take their time to learn about it,
they have so far blamed all my permanent disabilities that are consequences of them treating it as "Well you should've come sooner!" But since teenager I am refused.
The next thing that'd be "too late" would be my hearing, I cannot bear it anymore. I cannot move out either, I don't want to - I like it here.
A while ago, I decided to ask any doctor/specialist/therapist I had my hands on "Why does it seem so easy for others to get help but not for me?" (regarding how good it is at other regions)
They said "You are a victim of bureaucracy and our hands are tied". I don't blame the doctors, but I don't understand the answer too well.
At neuroward, two unalived themselves, they covered it up and we were not allowed to mention it. It was terrifying.
I do like my doctor, so I do not blame it personally on him, his skill or anyone else that I am in touch with in healthcare.
I just have a feeling quietly it's not as "grand" as I see YT make it to be. (BTW I am native Dutch born and raised, I am not a tourist/immigrant)
I speak from personal experience from birth. My family is very heartbroken for me.
When I was 16 I had overdose on "paracetamol/etc" type medications because they subscribed me OVER the limit for my BMI. I had to go to the doctor after recovery to see if I was OK.
The (former) doctor said "Ah, I will scribe you some extras, but less strong. Take them twice a week" without me having expressed any sort of pain, just nausea.
I remember that was the first shock I ever had - from there things went downhills. Sadly, whenever I speak of my experiences, more times than not people roll their eyes at me.
"It's not that bad" or get scolded for "speaking down on our country". Those who listened I made witness, and I am at the end of my wits.
I wish people would put their pride down a bit and realize not everywhere is as "picture perfect".
On positive note: My mother had hip replacement surgery, it was amazing compared to 20 years ago. This made me so happy and feel more secure.
I know it's not all bad and terrible all the time - I have much respect for our healthcare from what I hear about in other areas in NL! But sadly, it's quite bad for me. :(
I would try to get another GP or put in a formal complaint you don't have to take that from your GP.. Your GP is deffintely not the standard what is required by law.
Unfortunately because the GP is the gatekeeper to proper healthcare in the Netherlands it is very much hit and miss with what quality of healthcare you're going to get.
The GP in my area isn't great either. Chronic fatigue. Basic blood tests come back fine, so I am fine regardless of what I feel.
Being dismissed by the GP is exhausting. People say switch GP as if that's so easy; majority of GPs have a patient stop they're not taking on any new ones.
An emergency doctor is not able to do a full assessment of an issue so their diagnosis are to be taken to a different doctor. If you're GP says there is nothing wrong you can ask them to refer you to a KNO specialist. If your GP is not willing to refer you to a KNO specialist you could try and get another GP. If a KNO specialist says the treatment is not needed there is probably a good reason for them to shut it down.
3 times for the blood pressure is normale here in the Netherlands. Even with the little handpump they do it 3 times.
A well known saying here, when you have a bad cold or a mild flu, the dokter will say: "I can give you no drugs for this, and it wil take you 2 weeks to recover. I can prescribe some drugs and it will take you 14 days... When you feel bad: take a paracetamol."
&nless you’re very old, very young or have serious underlying issues, you just don’t see a doctor about your flu.
If they think that you have a bacterial infection that you will not clear on your own, they will prescribe antibiotics. Due to antibiotic resistance they do not prescribe it unless they think that you will benefit from it. Sometimes they will say that you should try for a certain number of days without a prescription and come back when symptoms have not improved or got worse.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 😉 fyi my dentist has regular office hours. I think it may be regionally different.
@18:45, a huge mental hurdle for people coming from another country to overcome when going to the doctor. Ummm only if that other country is the USandA.
Went te the ER with a lange cut in my hand to my the top of my finger... they give me 2 paracetamol care at home 4x2 paracetamol per day
Normally if the docter gives you a referal for a specialist they give you a zorgdomijn code. The moment you get it you can call the hospital of choice give them the code and they instantly will book the appointment, that by law can max take 4 weeks.
I always kept a bag of Haagse hopjes in my car
🪦 😭
They are going to stop producing Haagse Hopjes? Aw no! That sucks ;-( .
Well basically you can’t suck it anymore
As far as the Haagse Hopjes concerned....
I think there should be some questions made in the Tweede Kamer! It's an Haagse kwestie!
Haagse Hopjes is still online here. Of course I don't know for how long
Taking vitals... when you have an ingrown toe-nail.... blood-pressure is not the issue.... get to the problem and don't beat the bush.... Welcome to Dutch directness... :)
1 opmerking. De huisarts bezoeken is vrij van kosten, jou bezoek wordt vergoed door je zorgverzekering. Ik heb zelf de tandartsverzekering opgezegd. Ik ga gewoon 2x per jaar, betaal 40 euro voor dit bezoek en tandsteenverwijderen. Mijn oude tandartsverzekering betaalde ik 35 euro per maand. Ik zou zeggen, do the math.
I haven´t had a Hopje since I was a kid (makes me part of the problem, oops) but yes, when I heard the news I thought about yall first LOL Kind of weird...
If someone says the doctor prescribed them paracetamol they are telling on themselves for going to the doctor for no reason. Keeping the doctor from seeing patients at their house, helping regular patients with their ongoing issues, the patients who are in the final stage of their lives and seeing people who are actually in need of medical attention.
Of course it's not a problem if a doctor has to just tell you it's going to be fine every once in a while but if this is a regular experience to someone they have to do some soul searching.
Ik heb elk half jaar controle bij de tandarts en de mondhygienist en ik haat die mondhygienst behandelingen. Vooral dat schoonmaakapparaat voor je tanden wat een verschrikkelijk hoge pieptoon maakt wat je echt niet kan blokkeren.
Mijn tandarts heb ik al zo'n 20 jaar. Ze zijn 5 dagen per week open tussen 8 uur 's ochtends en 5 uur 's middags (oosten van het land)
Doctors never prescribe paracetamol it's a suggestion because it's an OC product.
When you said you slipped your doctor a 20 to get better service, I spit out my coffee.
I would have liked to know what he would have done though. But I'm also glad it was a just a joke.
Living here almost 14 yrs now, I see that the GP's here are 'reactive' and not 'proactive' In most cases. If you have a legitimate issue, then no, they will help, but lets say you want to get tests for something, like a colonoscopy, then you are out of luck. The only way to get a screening is if they see a reason to have the test done. In this case, they need to see blood in your stool. but I thought that would mean its more serious than if you had a screening and had polyps removed?
As for Dentists, I have all but good experiences with them, But I do ask them to use the metal hook to clean and not use the ultrasonic cleaner on my teeth. Its also every 6 months for me.
A colonoscopy might also reveal an issue that would go away on its own but since you found it you're now taking medication with side effects or have a surgery that can cause issues. If proactive is better they do change the protocols but if not they stay reactive.
This is the worst way of finding out Haagse hopjes will be gone. :(
😭
⭐️10 times 😅
I nearly died because of this system. My illness wasn't taken seriously. The doctors didn't properly test me when I had pneumonia, I got the wrong medications. I was denied an ambulance when I thought I was going to choke to death because 'it must have been a panic attack' only to end up getting an ambulance next day and ending up on IC. It could have been prevented had they properly tested me in time. I needed doxicycline, not amoxicycline. Months after my health still was ruined. If you can find a way to blast away through the lionsgate of GP frontoffice and all first responders bullshit to deny you healthcare to get to the specialists and 'interne geneeskunde', you have a fighting chance. Otherwise you might end up being duped.
I do know I probably would have been homeless too if I were in america and completely bankrupt. So I guess it's ok.
Question: If going to the ER is not justified , then then how could they send you a bill? Not sick = no treatment = no bill .... Treatment = illness = justified. >>> so weird !
two things: Ambulance is Free ! ALWAYS ... and when using huisarts as in between can also be an acceleration... if he/she thinks you have to skip waiting line at specialist you will ALWAYS skip the waiting line.
It's not, you get billed for Eigen risico
@dutchgamer842 not with ambulance ... additionally . I I have chosen the option no eigen risico in my package
Yes it is-
In the UK, last time a lion tore one of my arms off, and ate it, the NHS doctor prescribed paracetamol and told me to come back in two weeks if it didn’t get better…..
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ plus one extra 🌟
No, that's not true. They never prescribe Paracetamol that regularly.
Only for pain relief, if needed instead of the highly addictive and OP opiates based painkillers in the US.
Never heard that one either.
Who told you that one 🤔?!
it's a stereotype, it's commonly referenced on reddit, as an example... but we point out in the podcast that it isn't our experience (except for the dutch doctor in japan, hehe)
also, fyi- opioid prescriptions in the US continue to decline, it was a terrible campaign by the pharma companies that people eventually wised up to www.statista.com/statistics/753149/total-number-of-opioid-rx-prescriptions-in-us/
@buncharted2 Am seriously curious who started that "alternative fact" on reddit 🤔.
I've never come across it or had it mentioned to me before as a Dutchman.
Indeed a 'huisarts' only takes your blood presure when the complaint is related, e.g. 'I feel my heart beating' of 'I'm tired all day'. But having complaints about coughing, your weight or heart rhytm would not be very important. And no, paracetamol is not always described! I know that for a fact. (BTW I am having different health issues, but paracetamol was described only once, by the dentist....)
About the dentist: indeed a lot of people woll not insure the dental care. To be honest: that is stupid. One time you will NEED the dentist! And than it will be a big comfort to know that it is insured!
Believe me, I had to have a tooth pulled... And yes , I was insured! At another dentist in another city! No problem, just give them your insurance number and done!
To be honest: insure dental care, it is a must for your teeth!
Actually no, the premium of dental insurance is often higher than the average yearly cost, unless, like said, you have a dental issue. But then the insured amount is capped at often twice the premium. It is a bad deal for most people. And, for children under 18, dental care is insured. The only insurance that is useful is emergency dental care for the event you have severe damage due to an accident.
They will also take your blood pressure when you are a bit older, or when you had elevated blood pressure before. They will also take into account how long ago it was that they took your blood pressure. There is no point taking your blood pressure every 2 to 3 months, unless you started medication to lower it.
Haagse hopjes 😊
The Dutch huisarts will not perform unnecessary tests, why measure your length when you want to discuss a stomach ache?
The Americans do as every test they do they can charge.
Medication is much cheaper in the Netherlands as the purchasing of medication is centralized through the insurance companies in cooperation with the pharmacies who can agree on better prices because of the bulk. That is how I understand it at least, correct me when I am wrong.
That is one of the main reasons everything is centralized here, a concept most Americans, especially republicans, are so afraid of.
You can call it a network, but insurance companies have contracts with care providers in basically all the fields. It is in the interest of the company to have as many contracted providers as possible. Because of these contracts, they can negotiate a lower price. This results in a lower premium. So it is in the interest of the companies to have as many contractors as possible. The cheapest insurances are so cheap, because you're hardly covered when you want to go to a provider that doesn't have a contract. The more expensive ones give you more options. But the packages are all the same since it is determined by law. When you're healthy and you probably won't be needing any care, you would choose the cheapest one.
Want did I miss? Buncharted 2?
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And then not discussed the cost for a ambulance taking you to hospital in case needed... ehhhh free... it's a emergency item so no payment needed..... And then just thinking we Dutch are complaining about health care here in Holland.... hahahahahaha
Hopjes, havent had them in decades, just hopjesvla. I did like them, just never thought to buy them. And to many are like me, so goodbye hopjes
My experience is take a high own risk (€885) and pay a low monthly amount. Your basic insurance covers most of the costs so add-ons are not very beneficial.
That experience is very personal. For me, with an hereditary disease, it's exactly the opposite....
But at least we have the choice....
That's only when you do not expect to need medication or treatments other than by your GP. Only the GP services are covered, but if your blood needs to be analysed in the lab, you will pay it from those 885 Euro.
Im chronical ill, my eigen risico is gone within 3months😂
I totally agree with you.
I don't like to talk politics but at this moment i watch your video, Trump is inaugurated and i am afraid for the americans a plan is still not there for a decent health care under Trump.
Will it ever be better in the US?🌷🌷🌷
Totally concur that the best part about healthcare in the NL is that you will never be in a medical emergency and not be able to afford it.
Something glossed over which I find to be the biggest drawback is that the NL does not have a proper system for screening or differential diagnosis. The “horror stories” that I hear are situations where you are denied getting a test, X-ray, MRI, etc when it’s potentially life threatening such as cancer. It’s not such an unusual experience for Dutch people to seek healthcare in other countries (Belgium or Germany) to undergo testing. That being said, if you bring any diagnosis to your GP, you will generally get the treatment and care you need.
Another related drawback is if you have an understudied, poorly understood, or rare disease, there may be little to no resources for you in the NL. If you have a very established disease, like diabetes or cardiovascular issues, you’ll be more than fine. But if you have PCOS, SIBO, endometriosis, or rare diseases (eg genetic), your GP might scoff at your condition because there’s very little they can do or don’t bother giving you a referral (which is quite a contrast from the US).
I've had the opposite experience. My GP is very willing to refer me to a specialist or test whatever I ask for, or she thinks is needed. And I've never had any kind of dismissive reaction to a question, and I have PCOS.
You have to advocate for yourself. If you have symptoms for those conditions, such as endometriosis, you have to specifically ask whether they can offer tests to rule that out. For endometriosis, surgery is the only certain way to diagnose it, so the GP is unlikely to write a referral for that unless you are completely disabled by it.
Do you have one of the above described diseases and actually speaking out of experience that your GP refused to give you a referral for a specialist? Because I have never experienced that my GP was not willing to refer me to a specialist whenever I asked for it.
@ Yes, I was diagnosed in the US before moving to the NL and even given a prescription protocol. I just get told “we do things differently here”. Again, this is only for diseases which are poorly understood. The Dutch medical guidelines are strongly evidence-based, which is in theory what it should be, but comes with some odd consequences, such as if the disease or its treatment hasn’t been studied for decades. Or if a medication works for only 20% if patients, the Dutch guidelines might advise against it, but you might be part of that group that benefits. Sometimes medicine involves a bit of both ‘art’ and science, trial and error, but I don’t think that’s the Dutch way.
Just imagine, that healthcare in the Netherlands is 12x more expensive in the Netherlands than in the countries around them, while having less staff and hospital beds, and that you can't get about 2500 different kinds of drugs that are available the moment you cross the border. Worst healthcare system of West Europe can be found in the Netherlands.
How do you know it's the worst of Europe? Have you lived in all European countries? And even, in one country it may vary a lot, north to south, city to countryside. I am dutch and live now for 14 years in northern Italy, where healthcare is supposed to be a lot better than in the south. If I would ever become chronically ill, or would be pregnant again, I move back to the Netherlands immediately. Waiting time for a specialists appointment is almost always more than a year. So, you make a private appointment, and you need to wait only a month. You pay around 150 euro (or 110 in cadh) for a visit of max 10 minutes.
This is only 1 example, I can go on and on.
Not true!
happy monday. new buncharted. 😁🏂