Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ)

Obligatory insurance covering the cost of long-term care to people with severe limitations due to old age, chronic diseases, disabilities or long-standing mental problems. Every person living or working in the Netherlands is covered by the AWBZ.

There are two types of care:

1. Non-residential care
Care provided to people in the non-institutional population. Pre-arranged care given by the care provider or at the client’s home. Care provided to older people, people with chronic diseases, disabled people, people with long-standing mental problems or people requiring care on a temporary basis.

Non-residential care includes one or more functions financed by the AWBZ, e.g. counselling, personal care, nursing, treatment and support with activities related to daily living (available since 2012) or short-term admission in a care-providing facility.

2. Residential care

Care provided to people admitted in institutions on a permanent basis, e.g. people in nursing homes, homes for the elderly, institutions for disabled or institutions for people with long-standing mental problems.

Residential care under the AWBZ is provided on the basis of a care intensity package and on the basis of long-term and temporary residence class 4 or higher. Short-term residence is included in non-residential care.