Exercise programmes in cases of obesity
From 1 January 2019, the basic health-care plan will cover the costs of a combined lifestyle intervention, or CLI. If you are overweight, a health-care provider will support you in adopting a healthier diet and eating habits, getting more exercise and achieving behavioural change. However, the exercise itself is not covered. In 2018, the Benfit plan covered an exercise programme for obese patients; from 1 January 2019, you can use this coverage as well if you take part in a CLI.
Physiotherapy: manual therapy
We are reducing the maximum number of manual therapy sessions covered: in 2019, Benfit will cover a maximum of 9 manual therapy sessions per calendar year.
Foot care
We think it is important for a pedicurist to have the right qualifications and stay up to date professionally. To give you (and the pedicurist too) sufficient choice, the number of registers in which medical pedicurists may be registered will be extended as of 1 January 2019.
Sports doctor
Under the Benfit plan, the costs of a sports examination, including for diving, are covered. Diving is a high-risk sport so the doctor performing the examination must meet high requirements. There are not many sports doctors in the Netherlands who have also taken specific training for providing diving examinations, meaning your choice of a good health-care provider is limited. For this reason, from 1 January 2019, this examination can also be performed by other doctors who have followed this training.
Sterilisation
Benfit covers sterilisation. From 1 January 2019, the maximum coverage for male sterilisation is €350, and for female sterilisation this is €1000.
Alternative/ non-conventional medicine
Benfit covers alternative/non-conventional medicine. The coverage will change considerably on 1 January 2019. From then on, we will reimburse the same amount for such health care whether it is provided or prescribed by a doctor or another type of health-care provider. However, the latter must be a member of a professional organisation recognised by ONVZ. This means that, from 2019, one maximum amount of coverage will apply for this health care, regardless of the provider.
Medicines
From 1 January 2019, we will no longer reimburse the costs of medicines for erectile dysfunction.
Medical appliances: personal contributions
Benfit reimburses the personal contributions that apply to medical appliances under the basic health-care plan. In 2018, the maximum reimbursement for the personal contributions applied to all medical appliances combined, including a wig. However, from 1 January 2019, a separate reimbursement will apply to the personal contribution for a wig. The maximum amounts reimbursed will not be changing.
Skin therapy: electrical epilation and laser treatment
The Benfit plan covers electrical epilation and laser treatment in cases of excessive facial hair growth. In 2019, the maximum coverage is €350 and applies to the entire term of the policy.
Skin therapy: cosmetic camouflage instruction
The Benfit plan covers cosmetic camouflage instruction in cases of severe, disfiguring skin abnormalities on the face and/or neck. The coverage for this will be capped from 1 January 2019: under the Benfit plan, a maximum of €70 will be reimbursed for a maximum of 2 lessons. We no longer cover the costs of the camouflage products.
Carers: carer relief
Benfit covers the costs of carer relief, i.e. replacement care for a period during which a carer is sick or on holiday. From 1 January 2019, this supplementary health-care plan will also cover the carer relief required if you are the carer and need to have a short break. The coverage has been changed from a maximum number of days to a maximum reimbursement amount. The coverage is on the condition that you have the ZorgConsulent adviser arrange the carer relief for you.
Carers: support
To help carers maintain a healthy life balance, we offer support through our ZorgConsulent advisers under the Benfit plan. These advisers are trained to listen to your problems and they can also help you set boundaries, expand or re-expand your social network, or better combine your carer duties with your regular job.
