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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Dennis Kodner, PhD, Brookdale Center on Aging of Hunter College, The City University of New York (CUNY), 425 East 25th Street, 13th Floor North, New York, NY 10010-2590, (212) 481-4587, Dennis.Kodner@hunter.cuny.edu

The Dutch healthcare system provides an interesting mix of public and private financing designed to ensure access in an egalitarian fashion to a deep basket of services for virtually the entire population. The multi-tiered system consists of three compartrments: 1) catastophic health protection; 2) standard health insurance coverage; and, 3) supplementary insurance. For nearly 40 years, every resident of the Netherlands has been protected against "exceptional" or catastrophic health risks under the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (ABWZ). This separate, universal, compulsory fund--financed through a combination of social insurance premiums, general taxes, state subsidies, and income-related co-pays--is especially important to the frail elderly and other persons with chronic or high-cost conditions, including those with long-term care needs. Starting in 2006, in addition to inpatient mental health services (with stays of +1 year), ABWZ will cover functionally-defined care provided by home health and home help organizations, as well as in nursing homes, residential homes for the elderly, and institutions for disabled persons. Covered in-home and community-based services are available in-kind or on a cash basis through "personal budgets." In addition to describing the unique ABWZ program, we will examine its link to the Dutch pension scheme as well as the important role it plays in the overall long-term care system.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant (learner) will be able to

• Discuss the philosophy and structure of the Dutch system of catastrophic healthcare financing;
• Describe how long-term care services are covered;
• Recognize the role of public and private funding, the program's link to the overall long-term care system, and its link to the national pension scheme.

Keywords: Aging, Long-Term Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No