The role of health insurance literacy in the process and outcomes of choosing a health insurance policy in the Netherlands

Laurens Holst*, Adriana Elisabeth Maria Brabers, Jeannette Josepha Dingena Johanna Maria Rademakers, Judith Danielle de Jong

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In several countries, citizens are expected to be critical consumers when choosing a health insurance policy. However, there are indications that citizens do not always have the sufficient skills, so called health insurance literacy (HIL), to do this. We investigated whether the level of HIL among Dutch citizens is related to the way in which they experience the process of choosing a policy, and furthermore whether it is related to their health insurance choices. We obtained information by sending questionnaires to members of the Nivel Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel in 2020. Of the 1,500 approached, 806 panel members participated (response rate 54%). Our results indicate that, compared to those with a high HIL, respondents with a low HIL more often find choosing a health insurance policy difficult, not interesting, and boring, and less often consider it important and worthwhile. Furthermore, they make less use of the opportunity to switch from one health insurer to another. However, they do still opt for a supplementary insurance policy and a voluntary deductible to the same extent as citizens with a high HIL. We conclude that the HIL level among Dutch citizens is related to the way in which they experience the process of choosing a health insurance policy and to the extent to which they switch from one insurer to another. But it is not related to their health insurance choices. Follow-up research should focus on how citizens with a low HIL can be better supported when choosing a health insurance policy.
Original languageEnglish
Article number1002
Number of pages10
JournalBMC Health Services Research
Volume23
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Sept 2023

Keywords

  • Health insurance literacy
  • Health insurance policy
  • Netherlands
  • Humans
  • Insurance, Health
  • Health Literacy
  • Health Policy
  • Insurance Carriers

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