Recent Changes in Dutch Health Insurance

In 2006 the Netherlands implemented a new health insurance system that requires all citizens to buy health insurance from a regulated insurance company of their choice; insurers must accept all applicants; the government subsidizes children and low-income families. This paper analyzes the new Dutch system and considers whether it might serve as a model for the U.S. The author emphasizes some of the major differences between the Netherlands and the U.S., including the extensive role of the Dutch government in regulating the health sector and the egalitarian tradition in Dutch social policies.