Care mediation by Dutch health insurers helps insured persons on a waiting list to get faster treatment in more than 80% of cases. However, not enough people know about this service from the health insurance companies. Via social media, health insurers ask referrers such as general practitioners to draw patients’ attention to care mediation. Policyholders and care providers can find all information about this service on a joint website of the health insurers.
Care mediation took off, during the coronary crisis. Last year, more than thirty thousand people successfully made use of care mediation or care advice by their health insurer. While a lot of care had to be postponed and waiting times in hospitals and mental healthcare increased, there was often room for care at other places.
Health insurers are now intensifying their efforts to draw the attention of policyholders to the possibilities of care mediation. Insured people can contact the care mediation department of their health insurance company about this. Health insurer employees will then search for a suitable alternative together with the customer.
More information (in Dutch).