This is what healthcare costs in the Netherlands
If you need medical care and are wondering how much it costs, in the Netherlands, you always have insurance that pays for basic care. For you, this insurance is called the Medical Care Regulation for Asylum Seekers (RMA). Healthcare you need immediately or within a few hours is free.
You always get free medically necessary care in the Netherlands
Basic healthcare is paid for you by the Medical Care Regulation for Asylum Seekers (RMA). Under the RMA, you are insured for most of the healthcare for which Dutch people are insured. The RMA pays for standard healthcare from, for example, a general practitioner, hospital or pharmacy. As long as you do not have a residence permit, you do not have to take out your own basic health insurance.
If you are 18 years of age or older, you have limited access to healthcare for the first 2 months in the Netherlands. Your healthcare during these first 2 months is limited to medically necessary and non-deferrable healthcare. This rule does not apply to children who are not yet 18.
Read more about the RMA here.
Medical care outside the Netherlands is only reimbursed if you have permission
For healthcare outside the Netherlands, you first need to get permission through the RMA. If you want to request permission for healthcare abroad, you can send an email to
It is not possible to take out your own health insurance
If you would prefer different or comprehensive insurance for your healthcare, this is not possible yet. You can only take out your own health insurance in the Netherlands once you have an asylum residence permit. Once you get a residence permit, you have 4 months to take out your own health insurance. You also have to pay for your own health insurance and costs from the moment you have your residence permit.