What is a healthcare contribution?
The healthcare contribution can be compared to the health insurance premium. You pay this contribution if your family members are entitled to medical care in their country of residence at the expense of the Netherlands. Your country of residence will settle the costs of their medical care with the Netherlands. The CAK collects, on behalf of the Netherlands, the healthcare contribution, which is sometimes referred to as the Zvw-contribution or foreign contribution.
Please note
The information below is for family members of employees. For information on the healthcare contribution for pensioners and beneficiaries and their family members, please check this page.Once your family members are registered with us as treaty-entitled persons, you will receive an decision (letter). It states how much healthcare contribution you have to pay. After the end of each year, you will receive an annual statement.
Why do I pay a healthcare contribution?
The Netherlands has agreed with a number of other countries (the treaty countries) on the social security of migrant residents, such as healthcare costs. This is defined in regulations and a number of treaties.
How much healthcare contribution do I pay?
Do you pay a healthcare contribution for your family member to us? Per family member this consists of:
- a fixed (nominal) contribution for the Zvw (Zorgverzekeringswet - Healthcare Insurance Act)
We multiply the healthcare contribution by a country of residence factor. Doing so, your treaty contribution is proportionate to the size and costs of the healthcare package in your country of residence.Each year the Ministry determines the nominal contribution for the Zvw and the country of residence factor. You can check the rates for the healthcare contribution per country at What is a country residence factor?
In which situations do I pay a healthcare contribution?
You pay a healthcare contribution if your family members are treaty-entitled. This is the case in the following situations::
- You work in the Netherlands and you live with your family in a treaty country. You must take out health insurance yourself in the Netherlands. Your family members are entitled to medical care in your country of residence at the expense of the Netherlands if they do not have their own income. You only pay a healthcare contribution for your family members. Read more on I work in the Netherlands and live abroad.
- You work and live in the Netherlands. Your family lives in a treaty country. You must take out health insurance yourself in the Netherlands. Your family members are entitled to medical care in their country of residence at the expense of the Netherlands if they do not have their own income. You only pay a healthcare contribution for your family members. Read more on I live in the Netherlands, my family members abroad.
How do I pay the healthcare contribution?
Each year in December you will receive an invoice for the healthcare contribution for your family members for the upcoming year. You don't have to pay it right away. You may pay in advance so that after the end of the year you do not have to pay a large amount at once. For example, you can pay in instalments (per month).
In February or March (at least before 1 April) you will receive an annual statement for the past year. In this you'll read whether you have paid too much, too little or exactly the right amount. You need to pay the annual statement within 6 weeks.
Do I get a summary of what I have paid?
We send an annual statement after the end of each calendar year. In this you'll read whether you have paid too much, too little or exactly the right amount.