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Market access for medical technologies in the Netherlands

A brief overview of key market access pathways and challenges for medical devices, in-vitro diagnostic tests in the Netherlands

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Key topics

There are two key themes describing market access for medical technologies in the Netherlands: 

  • Reimbursement: payment mechanism via the DRG system, supplementary payments via the so-called “other care products” (OZPs)
  • Funding: recommendations for coverage in the Basic Health Insurance by the Dutch Healthcare Institute 

The Netherlands does not have a stand-alone health technology assessment (HTA) framework; HTA is incorporated in the funding decision-making. 

The innovative payment schemes for medical technologies in the Netherlands include the subsidy scheme for promising care and small-scale experiments. 

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Reimbursement

All specialist (inpatient, day case, ambulatory) care within the same Major Disease Category (MDC) provided within a certain period (for most services – 120 days; for surgical procedures – 42 days) is covered via a single DRG payment.

The payment system consists of the following components:

Diagnosis-related groups

  • DRGs are determined by the combination of a procedure code (zorgactiviteit) and a diagnosis code. The procedure coding nomenclature and the DRG system are maintained by the Dutch Healthcare Institute (NZa) and released annually
  • Around 30% of DRGs have their maximum tariffs determined at the national level by the NZa. The reimbursement tariffs for other DRGs are negotiated between individual hospitals and insurance companies

Supplementary payments – “other care products” (OZPs)

  • Specialist services not reimbursed via DRG (as a stand-alone payment or in addition to the DRG payment), are referred to as the so-called “other care products”, OZPs
  • The OZPs are determined by the NZa as a part of the DRG package. There are five categories of OZPs, the key ones being Supplementary Products (reimbursement for expensive medication, stay in the ICU, on top of the DRG tariff), First-Line Diagnostics (diagnostic imaging and IVD tests, reimbursed on a fee-for-service when requested by a General Practitioner), and Optional Services (allows healthcare providers and insurers to create novel payment categories for well-established care)

The DRG system is approved annually.

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Funding

Major innovations typically need a positive coverage decision by the Minister in order to be covered within basic health insurance. This usually happens when a new procedure code is requested from the NZa. The foundation for the coverage decision is the position of the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN), which uses HTA methodology to evaluate existing evidence to determine conformity of care with the “state of science and practice”.

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Specifics for IVD tests

In-vitro diagnostic tests provided in specialist settings are covered by the DRG tariff for the continuum of care. In-vitro diagnostic tests are reimbursed on a fee-for-service basis only if requested by a primary care physician (via the OZP mechanism).

MTRC has experience with more than 219 projects in the Netherlands

News and insights

Applications for the Appropriate Care Framework program are now open in the Netherlands

In May 2025, the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) opened the submission of grant applications for the subsidy round of the Appropriate Care Framework program (2024–2028), which focuses on (de)implementation activities for medical technologies reimbursed under basic health insurance. The deadline for submitting a detailed grant application is July 3, 2025.

The Trendwatch Report on MedTech innovations was published in the Netherlands

In May 2025, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) published the Trendwatch Report on Healthcare Innovations in Specialist Medical Care, identifying 316 MedTech innovations across 11 clusters, with AI-driven diagnostics, predictive models, and image-guided therapy predicted to have the highest impact in the medical specialist care, while also highlighting significant risks associated with assistive robotics and wearable monitoring technologies for inclusion in basic health insurance.

The Dutch "Subsidy Scheme for Promising Care" will be discontinued in January 2026

In May 2025, the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport provided further details on terminating "Subsidy Scheme for Promising Care". The program will be discontinued as of January 1, 2026, without any follow-up measures or financing. No new rounds for submission of proposals will be available. Nothing will change for the 28 ongoing projects and projects expected to be awarded later in 2025 as a result of the last completed rounds.

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