Are you considering alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy or chiropractic? Are you left with questions about whether these treatments will be covered by your health insurance? This article guides you through everything you need to know about alternative medicine insurance so you can make a well-informed choice.
Is alternative medicine included in basic insurance?
The costs for alternative medicine are not reimbursed from the basic insurance. If you want these treatments to be (partially) reimbursed, you need supplementary health insurance. It is important to research carefully which supplementary insurance best suits your needs. Not all alternative treatments are reimbursed, even by supplementary insurance.
Treatments that are often reimbursed by supplementary insurance are:
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathy
- Chiropractic
- Osteopathy
- Other forms, such as naturopathy, phytotherapy and orthomolecular medicine
Always consult your health insurance policy conditions to check which treatments are covered.
What does alternative treatment cost?
The cost of alternative treatments varies by type of treatment and therapist. Below are some examples:
- Acupuncture: on average € 60,- per treatment. For short complaints usually 3 to 6 treatments are needed (€ 180,- to € 360,-). For longer complaints this can go up to 8 to 12 treatments (€ 480,- to € 720,-).
- Homeopathy: an initial consultation costs on average between €120 and €165, and follow-up consultations between €60 and €85.
- Osteopathy: on average € 100,- per consultation. Often 3 to 4 treatments are sufficient to see improvement (€ 300,- to € 400,-).
- Chiropractic: the first consultation costs on average € 80, and follow-up treatments average € 60 per hour. On average, 6 to 7 treatments are needed (€ 360,- to € 420,-).
Alternative medicines
Some alternative practitioners prescribe medication, for example homeopathic or anthroposophic medicines. Alternative medicines are not covered by basic insurance. Only with supplementary insurance can you receive (partial) reimbursement. The level of reimbursement varies between insurers and supplementary packages.
To qualify for reimbursement for alternative medications, additional conditions usually apply:
- Prescription by a physician: The drug must have been prescribed by a physician listed in the BIG register.
- Type of drug: Not all drugs are reimbursed, they must be drugs that are registered. This can be a registration according to the Dutch Medicines Act and in the so-called G-standard of Z-index (a national list of medicines). Your practitioner or pharmacy will know if the drug is registered.
- Dispensed via pharmacy: The medication must have been delivered by a licensed pharmacy or dispensing general practitioner. Medications given directly by the practitioner are generally not reimbursed.
- Settlement within total budget: Costs for alternative medications are often settled within the total maximum you may claim for alternative care per year. As a result, the costs for treatments and medications can affect each other.
How does supplemental coverage for alternative medicine work?
Often, reimbursement for alternative medicine is structured as follows:
- Maximum reimbursement per year: there is a maximum amount your health insurer will reimburse each year.
- Maximum reimbursement per treatment per day: there is a maximum amount reimbursed per day for treatments or consultations. The reimbursement per day is often somewhere between € 20 and € 40. This is almost always less than the cost of treatment. You will not get the full bill reimbursed and will have to pay part of it yourself.
- Alternative medicine: the cost of alternative medicine is also reimbursed from the alternative care budget.
- Type of treatments: it is good to know that not every form of alternative medicine is covered, even with supplemental insurance.
Requirements for reimbursement
To qualify for reimbursement for alternative treatments, the following conditions often apply:
- Registered therapists: Treatment must be performed by a qualified therapist affiliated with a recognized professional organization.
- Invoice requirements: insurers have certain requirements for an invoice in order to process the claim. For example, the AGB code must be listed. AGB stands for General Data Management. When a practitioner has an AGB code, they are listed in a national registry of healthcare providers. There may be more requirements. These can be found on the health insurer's site, and usually practitioners are well informed as well.
- In addition, there are requirements that vary by insurer. For example, health insurers CZ and VGZ require practitioners to have a certain level of basic medical knowledge or basic psychosocial knowledge. Again, this can be found on the health insurer's website.
The deductible
Alternative medicine is reimbursed from the supplementary insurance. These costs are therefore not covered by the deductible, which is only the case for care from the basic insurance.
Helpful tips
- Please check if the health care provider of your choice is designated by your health insurance company. Only treatments and consultations from designated healthcare providers are eligible for reimbursement.
- It is usually not interesting to choose supplementary insurance just for alternative medicine, because the premium will then be higher than the reimbursement. For a package with reimbursement for alternative medicine of up to € 40 per day to (around) € 300 per year, you quickly pay € 20 to € 25 per month (€ 240 to € 300 per year). Because your maximum reimbursement is € 40 per day, you have to go at least 6 to 8 times before the reimbursement is more than the premium. So if you expect to have fewer treatments than that, it's better to pay for the treatments yourself. If you are considering supplemental insurance because you also use other coverage, it may be advantageous.
- Compare supplemental health insurance policies, premiums and terms in our health care comparator to make the best choice.
Conclusion
Alternative medicine can be a valuable complement to regular care, but is not covered by basic insurance. A supplementary insurance can offer a solution, depending on your preferences and the treatments you need. Inform yourself well and compare insurances to avoid unexpected costs.
The benefits of group health insurance
- Take advantage of broader benefits than with individual insurance.
- Health insurance is there for you, your partner and children.
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