Do I pay the deductible for GP care?

No. GP care is exempt, including the out-of-hours GP post.

Do I pay more deductible at a more expensive or more distant hospital?

No. The deductible is a fixed yearly amount (€ 385 in 2026), regardless of which hospital you choose. Do check that the provider is contracted.

Is the deductible per treatment?

No, per calendar year. Once you’ve used it up, you pay no more deductible for the rest of the year.

What happens to the deductible in 2027?

There are political plans to change it, but nothing is final. For 2026 it is € 385.

Can I pay the deductible in instalments?

Most insurers let you spread the deductible over instalments. Ask your insurer.

Explainer

The Dutch healthcare deductible (eigen risico): how it works

The mandatory deductible is € 385 in 2026: you pay the first healthcare costs from the basic insurance yourself, after which your insurer takes over. But not all care counts — and for hospital care there are a few things to know before you choose.

What is the eigen risico?

Everyone aged 18 and over pays the first € 385 of basic-insurance healthcare costs per calendar year themselves. Above that amount, your insurer covers the costs in full. Children under 18 have no deductible. The deductible is separate from your premium and from any co-payments.

What counts towards it — and what doesn’t?

The biggest misconception: the GP. GP care does not count towards the deductible — a GP visit never costs you extra. Hospital care does:

Care	Deductible?
GP (consultations and out-of-hours GP post)	No
Hospital or clinic (specialist, tests, surgery)	Yes
Prescription medication	Yes
Maternity care	No
Mental health care (basic insurance)	Yes
Care from supplementary insurance	No

There are political plans to change the deductible from 2027, but nothing is final yet. For 2026 it is € 385.

What does this mean when choosing a hospital?

For the deductible, your choice of hospital makes no difference: you pay the same € 385 whether you go to the nearest hospital or a clinic further away with a much shorter wait. Being seen sooner costs you nothing extra — provided the provider is contracted by your insurer. With non-contracted care, part of the bill can be for your own account, on top of the deductible.

Voluntary deductible: a discount with a catch

You can voluntarily raise the deductible in steps of € 100 up to € 885 in total, in exchange for a premium discount (roughly € 20–25 per month at the maximum). But in a bad year you pay the full amount. Sensible if you rarely use care and have a buffer; unwise if you expect treatment — for instance because you’re on a waitlist right now.

Compare the waiting times per specialty

Seen sooner without extra deductible — see where you can go fastest:

Waiting times Orthopedie Waiting times Oogheelkunde Waiting times Cardiologie Waiting times Dermatologie Waiting times Neurologie Waiting times Gynaecologie Waiting times Urologie Waiting times Plastische chirurgie

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay the deductible for GP care?: No. GP care is exempt, including the out-of-hours GP post.
Do I pay more deductible at a more expensive or more distant hospital?: No. The deductible is a fixed yearly amount (€ 385 in 2026), regardless of which hospital you choose. Do check that the provider is contracted.
Is the deductible per treatment?: No, per calendar year. Once you’ve used it up, you pay no more deductible for the rest of the year.
What happens to the deductible in 2027?: There are political plans to change it, but nothing is final. For 2026 it is € 385.
Can I pay the deductible in instalments?: Most insurers let you spread the deductible over instalments. Ask your insurer.

Wait too long? What you can doAll your options when the wait is too long.Waitlist mediationYour insurer finds a faster provider, for free.What is the treeknorm?The maximum acceptable waiting time, explained.Getting a second opinionA second view on your diagnosis or treatment.GP referral explainedWhen you need a referral — and whether you can choose.Switching health insuranceWhen switching pays off with long waits, and how.

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