Dutch hospital and specialist care usually starts with a referral from your huisarts or another authorised referrer. Your insurance policy, provider contracts and the hospital’s waiting time can affect where and when you receive care.

How you normally reach a specialist

  1. Discuss the problem with your huisarts or other permitted referrer.
  2. If specialist care is medically indicated, receive a referral.
  3. Check whether the hospital/specialist is contracted by your insurer.
  4. Check the provider’s published waiting time.
  5. If the wait is too long, ask your insurer for wachtlijstbemiddeling (care mediation).

What does it cost?

Hospital and medical-specialist care in the basic package generally counts toward the compulsory eigen risico for adults. In 2026 that compulsory amount is €385. A GP visit itself does not consume it.

Waiting times are not something you simply have to accept

Hospitals publish waiting times by specialty. If you consider the wait too long, contact your insurer. Rijksoverheid says insurers have a care duty and can search for an earlier appropriate provider. The same principle is important in mental healthcare.

Emergency care

For a life-threatening emergency call 112. For urgent problems outside GP hours that cannot wait, contact the huisartsen-spoedpost. Do not use the hospital emergency department as a substitute for normal GP care.

Newcomer checklist

  • Ask whether you need a referral.
  • Check your insurer’s provider network before treatment.
  • Ask the provider about waiting times.
  • Use insurer care mediation if needed.
  • Expect most covered specialist/hospital care to count toward eigen risico.
  • Keep referral letters and appointment correspondence.