Solidair tegen (w)elke prijs? Een quasi-experimenteel onderzoek naar de voorkeuren van Nederlanders voor ruimere of beperkte pakketten in de zorgverzekering.

In this article we investigate what the stated and revealed preferences are of the Dutch population with regard to health insurance benefit packages. We more specifically conduct a quasi-experimental study to inquire into people's willingness-to-pay for solidarity in health care. A random sample of the Dutch population are asked to choose between liberal or restricted packages in the domains of prevention, cure and care, and are immediately confronted with the price of their choices in terms of the increased health insurance premiums they have to pay. If they then come to realize that the price of their solidarity with patients is too high, they can readjust their choices. Only a huge minority shows unconditional solidarity with patients whatever the price. For a huge majority there are financial limits to their solidarity. They are of the opinion that some patients have to be excluded from benefits and other patients should give a contribution towards the costs of their treatment. Patient characteristics that have to do with lifestyle are sooner a reason for exclusion or contributing than life course characteristics. Respondents who have health problems or live unhealthy sooner choose for liberal health insurance packages. The same holds for people with a leftist; political stance. Respondents compulsorily covered by the Dutch National Health Service have a preference for restricted health insurance benefit packages.