NZa calls two health insurers to account over duty of care
In acute situations, essential aids are not always available to some patients in time.
According to the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa), two of the four largest health insurers are only partially meeting their statutory duty of care for outpatient medical aids. These include aids for diabetes, incontinence, stoma and wound care, among other conditions.
The NZa has called the two insurers to account and shared areas for improvement with all the insurers examined. The regulator expects the problems to be addressed in the short term. If this is insufficient, the NZa may issue a formal instruction or impose enhanced supervision.
The problems mainly arise when patients unexpectedly need an aid quickly. GPs, district nurses and pharmacists reported that they are not always able to get the right materials to patients in time. According to the NZa, this concerns care that is often necessary to enable people to live safely at home.
Health insurers have been procuring these aids nationally for several years. Patients generally order them themselves from a contracted supplier, after which the materials are delivered to their homes. According to the NZa, this system works well for many people, but in acute situations it does not always fit the reality faced by patients and care providers.
The insurers said that emergency provision was well organised. The signals examined by the NZa showed that care providers regularly had to use temporary solutions in practice. The regulator therefore describes the issue as a logistical problem, rather than a shortage of aids or staff.
The statutory duty of care means that insurers must ensure that care is timely, appropriate and sufficiently available. Simply procuring aids is not enough: insurers must also monitor supplier performance, collect signals from practice and adjust their policies when patients get stuck.
The issue also received attention on the consumer programme Radar. Nearly 3,000 people with incontinence problems were surveyed; around a quarter said they did not always receive or get reimbursed for sufficient materials. The survey is not a measurement of all policyholders, but it does support the picture now described again by the NZa. Minister Sophie Hermans said she would share the signals with the organisations involved and the NZa.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The NZa finds that two of the four largest health insurers examined are partially complying with their duty of care for aids in acute situations.
- The regulator links the difficulties to the organisation of delivery and logistics.
- The NZa has not yet imposed a formal instruction, but identifies enforcement as a possible next step.
Left
Arguments The government must actively protect patients when commercial health insurers fall short. If necessary aids are not available in time, strict supervision and, where necessary, direct enforcement are justified.
Values Equal access, solidarity and protection of vulnerable patients.
Consequences Greater public oversight may improve services, but could also lead to additional rules and higher implementation costs.
Centre
Arguments Responsibility lies with insurers, but the solution requires measurable agreements with suppliers, care providers and patients. The difficulties must first be demonstrably resolved; enforcement should follow if necessary.
Values Practicality, proportionality and institutional responsibility.
Consequences A step-by-step approach can combine rapid improvement with room for tailored solutions.
Right
Arguments Health insurers should be held accountable for their performance, but not every logistical error requires heavier government intervention. Competition and clear contractual agreements can encourage suppliers to perform better.
Values Responsibility, efficiency and restrained regulation.
Consequences Fewer rules may promote innovation and efficiency, but weaker policyholders could become trapped between insurer and supplier.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The central claims can be found directly in the NZa's publication and are supplemented for context by Radar. The survey is clearly described as an additional, non-representative source.
- confirmed Two of the four largest health insurers are partially meeting their duty of care for aids in acute situations. — This is stated in the NZa's news report of 28 September 2026. source
- confirmed These include aids for diabetes, incontinence, stoma and wound care, among other conditions. — The NZa explicitly names these patient groups. source
- confirmed If improvement is insufficient, the NZa can issue a formal instruction or impose enhanced supervision. — The regulator itself names both possibilities. source
- confirmed Radar surveyed nearly 3,000 people about incontinence materials, and around a quarter reported problems. — These figures appear in Radar's item about the survey. source
Editor's note
The NZa's findings and the possible follow-up have been directly confirmed by the regulator. Radar's survey provides context, but is not a representative measurement of all policyholders; the names of the two insurers have not been made public.Sources
- Hulpmiddelen niet altijd beschikbaar in spoedsituaties — Nederlandse Zorgautoriteit
- Zorgplicht — Nederlandse Zorgautoriteit
- Reactie Nederlandse Zorgautoriteit — Radar / AVROTROS
- Reactie Sophie Hermans, minister van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport — Radar / AVROTROS
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „zorgplicht zorgverzekeraars”
- De Telegraaf — „zorgplicht zorgverzekeraars”
- AD — „zorgplicht zorgverzekeraars”