Consumer choice in Dutch health insurance after reform

This article investigates the scope and effects of enhanced consumer choice in health insurance that is presented as a cornerstone of the new health insurance legislation in the Netherlands that will come into effect in 2006. The choice for choice marks the current libertarian trend in Dutch health...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health care analysis 2006-03, Vol.14 (1), p.37-49
Main Authors: Maarse, Hans, Meulen, Ruud Ter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to health care
Choice
Choice Behavior
Consumer Behavior
Consumer preferences
Consumers
Health administration
Health care
Health Care Costs
Health care policy
Health Care Reform
Health Care Sector
Health insurance
Health policy
Health services
Humans
Insurance, Health - economics
Insurance, Health - legislation & jurisprudence
Netherlands
Paternalism
Policy making
Policy studies
Private Sector
Reform
Reforms
Social Responsibility
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Summary:This article investigates the scope and effects of enhanced consumer choice in health insurance that is presented as a cornerstone of the new health insurance legislation in the Netherlands that will come into effect in 2006. The choice for choice marks the current libertarian trend in Dutch health care policymaking. One of our conclusions is that the scope of enhanced choice should not be overstated due to many legal and non-legal restrictions to it. The consumer choice advocates have great expectations of the impact of enhanced choice. A critical analysis of its impact demonstrates that these expectations may not become true and that enhanced consumer choice should not be perceived as the 'magic bullet' for many problems in health care.
ISSN:1065-3058
1573-3394
DOI:10.1007/s10728-006-0010-z