The Martini Hospital in Groningen announced this week that it would not be able to make new appointments with people insured with ASR or Zilveren Kruis. Impossible, according to 84 percent of the participants in the Statement of the Day.
‘Care should always be accessible to everyone,’ says one supporter. ‘Next year insurance will become more expensive again. The fact that you have to wait months and months for a new knee is scandalous.’
‘It is too ridiculous for words that a hospital has to negotiate in advance about how many hip operations (for example) are needed per year, says another. ‘You only know that afterwards. Health insurers now have way too much power! Abolish! Back to healthcare 100 percent in the hands of the government. Market forces in healthcare do NOT work.’
Some participants have more understanding of the hospital’s situation. “The cost argument plays a major role in this and not everything is possible, it’s as simple as that,” writes a participant.
“A hospital (unfortunately) also has to be businesslike,” writes another. ‘The client too. The client must make better agreements with the health insurer, purchase more care or switch to another insurer. The Martini Hospital (I know) makes it sufficiently clear that one should carefully look at the reimbursements and conditions from the health insurer.’