Frequently asked questions
The Netherlands has various treaties with other countries. However, we only have agreements with the following countries relating to medical care in the event of emigration:
- EU/EEA countries plus Switzerland and the United Kingdom
- a few countries outside the EU/EEA
We refer to these countries as ‘treaty countries’.
You pay a healthcare contribution for the right to medical care in your country of residence. Your country of residence settles your healthcare costs with the Netherlands. This has been agreed with a number of countries. Therefore, you do not pay a health premium to the local health insurance company for basic care in your country of residence. Instead, you pay a healthcare contribution to the Netherlands.
Please note
The information is for pensioners and beneficiaries only. For information on the healthcare contribution for family members of employees, please check this page.
The costs of healthcare abroad are often lower than they are in the Netherlands. One country may have a more extensive statutory healthcare package than another. In some cases that means that healthcare is more expensive in that country, but generally the healthcare in your country of residence is cheaper. We refer to the ratio between the costs in the two countries as the country of residence factor.
We use the country of residence factor to adjust your healthcare contribution according to the size and costs of healthcare package in your country of residence (country of residence package). The Minister for Health, Welfare and Sport determines the country of residence factor annually for the treaty countries. If healthcare in your country of residence becomes more expensive, the country of residence factor also increases. You then have to pay a higher healthcare contribution.
A country of residence package is a package of healthcare facilities and services you and your co-insured family members are entitled to in your country of residence. By healthcare services, we mean, for example, costs of the general practicioner, medicines and hospitalisations. Each country has a different country of residence package.
Healthcare services
The coverage of the country of residence package is the same as the statutory healthcare package in that country. In the Netherlands, for example, this is the basic health insurance. You are therefore entitled to reimbursement of the same healthcare as other residents of that country. You also have the same duties: if your country of residence has an own risk or contribution, the same applies to you.
We can apply a number of tax credits to the Wlz part of your healthcare contribution, but only if we have the required information. Sometimes you have to apply for the tax credit yourself.
Please note
Are you entitled to tax credits? We can only deduct it from the Wlz part of your healthcare contribution. However, your Wlz part can never be lower than 0. For example, if your tax credit is EUR 800 and your Wlz contribution is EUR 700, we set your Wlz contribution to EUR 0.Visit Netherlandsworldwide.nl and see what you need to consider, in addition to health insurance, when you are going to live, work or travel abroad.
Has your relative passed away? We are sorry for your loss. Did your deceased relative pay a healthcare contribution for himself and/or family members? Then the health insurance fund in the country of residence or the SVB/UWV will report this to to us. We will then stop collecting the healthcare contribution from the date of death.
Read more how to report the death of a treaty-entitled person