Out-of-pocket payments low in the Netherlands

People in the Netherlands, in France and in Luxembourg were paying the least out of their own pockets with respective shares in total health expenditure of 9.3, 8.9 and 8.4 percent. Bulgarians paid the highest share, 35.5 percent. These out-of-pocket contributions to healthcare providers include, among other things, health insurance deductibles and contributions to mandatory schemes.
A substantial share of the out-of-pocket payments is usually spent on pharmaceuticals. However, there are major differences between the countries: in Cyprus, roughly 10 percent of the out-of-pocket payments went to pharmaceuticals, against 70 percent in Bulgaria. Another large item in out-of-pocket payments tends to be dental care.

Out-of-pocket payments for pharmaceuticals slightly above EU average

Despite the relatively low out-of-pocket share in total health expenditure, Dutch spending on pharmaceuticals only (obtained from the pharmacy, the chemist or the supermarket) was slightly above the European average of 28 percent, namely 31 percent. Bulgarians spent the most on their own medication at 76 percent. The smallest contribution was made in Cyprus (10 percent). The proportion of spending on pharmaceuticals that does not come out of people’s own pockets is paid by insurance companies or the government. In some countries, pharmaceuticals are also reimbursed through schemes of companies or non-profit institutions.