Diederik Schrijvershof assisted NVOS-Orthobanda (NVOS, an association of Orthopedic (Shoe-) Technicians) in their successful request for enforcement of the Regulation for transparency in healthcare purchasing (Healthcare Purchasing Rules) at the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa). The NZa decided that De Friesland Zorgverzekeraar (DFZ) had violated the Healthcare Purchasing Rules during the healthcare purchasing process for 2017. DFZ was too late providing its 2017 contracts to members of NVOS and DFZ had not informed the members of NVOS about this amendment of DFZ’s healthcare purchasing policy in a timely and substantive manner. The NZa decided to impose a fine on DFZ. Read more about this case here, here and here (in Dutch).
It is the first time that the NZa has fined a healthcare insurer for its behaviour during the healthcare purchasing process. Earlier in 2016 the NZa forced another healthcare insurer Menzis to adjust its 2017 healthcare purchasing process following requests for enforcement of the Healthcare Purchasing Rules by the NVOS and its members. As Menzis decided to comply with the rules and because the Healtchare Purchasing Rules were relatively new the NZa refrained from imposing a fine. Also in this case Maverick Advocaten assisted the parties requesting enforcement.
For more information about the rights of health care providers and obligations for healthcare insurers, see here, here, here or visit www.zorgcontractering.com (in Dutch).
