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“Ageing and Healthcare Reform in the Netherlands” 14th Special Breakfast Meeting Report

“Ageing and Healthcare Reform in the Netherlands” 14th Special Breakfast Meeting Report
On the 17th of January 2012 the Health and Global Policy Institute hosted another Special Breakfast Meeting for its advisers, sponsors, and other distinguished intellectuals.

On this occasion we welcomed Dr. Reiner J. Koppelaar, Counsellor for Health, Welfare and Sports at the Netherlands Embassy, to speak on the theme of “Ageing and Healthcare Reform in the Netherlands”, providing an introduction to Dutch social security reform and the nursing and medical care systems for the elderly. 

The Netherlands has long been engaged in the process of healthcare reform, and in 2006 the concept of “regulated competition” in the form of fixed private sector participation and state regulation was introduced through reforms in the health insurance laws. The increased concern of insured individuals as to the price and quality of medical care led to proactive policies for developing systems for improving the administration of medical providers and strengthening local community ties in tackling the problems of an aging society. Through strengthening the function of insurers, unnecessary medical expenses have also been reduced. We were very pleased to welcome Dr. Koppelaar to discuss these varying measures.

The discussion was very relevant to Japan as it continues to carry out countermeasures to deal with the ongoing and rapid development of an ageing society with a low birthrate and associated increasing medical and social security costs. In addition to the introduction of various case examples, there was also a lively exchange of opinions on the importance of reform and on the format of Japan’s social insurance system.

Exhibition date:2012-01-17

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