van der Hulst Frank J P, Huijgen Sanne, Brabers Anne E M, de Jong Judith D
Nivel, The Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, P.O. Box 1568, 3500 BN Utrecht, The
CAPHRI, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
J Mark Access Health Policy. 2025 Jun 9;13(2):29. doi: 10.3390/jmahp13020029. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Managed competition is a key driver in healthcare systems in countries like Germany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands. Trust in health insurers is vital but currently low in The Netherlands. This may be due to perceptions regarding profit motives, negative experiences, media coverage, and a lack of understanding of insurers' roles. This study explores how enrollees perceive health insurers and how the aforementioned factors contribute to these perceptions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants from the Nivel Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel in March and April 2023. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step method for inductive thematic analysis. Participants generally view health insurers positively in terms of managing finances and ensuring care accessibility. However, some perceive insurers as profit-driven and prioritising cost reduction over individual needs, leading to dissatisfaction. Negative experiences and media coverage also shape these perceptions. Participants believe that insurers should ensure care accessibility and quality, distribute costs fairly, provide guidance, and prioritise preventive measures. To foster trust, insurers should communicate their non-profit status and use of benefits, increase transparency in purchasing decisions, and maintain clear communication about payment obligations. Enhancing communication about their contributions to healthcare and raising awareness of their broader roles may also help build trust.
管理式竞争是德国、瑞士和荷兰等国医疗体系的关键驱动力。对健康保险公司的信任至关重要，但目前在荷兰这种信任度较低。这可能是由于对利润动机的看法、负面经历、媒体报道以及对保险公司角色缺乏了解所致。本研究探讨了参保人如何看待健康保险公司，以及上述因素如何影响这些看法。2023年3月和4月，对来自荷兰Nivel医疗保健消费者小组的17名参与者进行了半结构化访谈。使用布劳恩和克拉克的六步归纳主题分析法对数据进行了分析。参与者总体上对健康保险公司在财务管理和确保医疗可及性方面持积极看法。然而，一些人认为保险公司受利润驱动，将成本降低置于个人需求之上，从而导致不满。负面经历和媒体报道也影响了这些看法。参与者认为保险公司应确保医疗可及性和质量、公平分摊成本、提供指导并优先采取预防措施。为了增进信任，保险公司应宣传其非营利地位和福利使用情况，提高采购决策的透明度，并就支付义务保持清晰沟通。加强关于其对医疗保健贡献的沟通以及提高对其更广泛作用的认识也可能有助于建立信任。
