title: Universal mandatory health insurance in the Netherlands: a model for the United States?
abstract: Policy analysts consider the Netherlands health system a possible model for the United States. Since 2006 all Dutch citizens have to buy standardized individual health insurance coverage from a private insurer. Consumers have an annual choice among insurers, and insurers can selectively contract or integrate with health care providers. Subsidies make health insurance affordable for everyone. A Risk Equalization Fund compensates insurers for enrollees with predictably high medical expenses. The reform is a work in progress. So far the emphasis has been on the health insurance market. The challenge is now to successfully reform the market for the provision of health care.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy and Management at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wynand P M M
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: van de Ven
authors.forename: Frederik T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Schut
mesh_terms: D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D049673:History, 20th Century; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D037141:Mandatory Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009426:Netherlands; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*