Increased cost sharing and changes in noncompliance with specialty referrals in The Netherlands

Introduction The compulsory deductible, a form of patient cost-sharing in the Netherlands, has more than doubled during the past years. There are indications that as a result, refraining from medical care has increased. We studied the relation between patient cost-sharing and refraining from medical care by evaluating noncompliance with referrals to medical specialists over several years. Methods Noncompliance with specialty referrals was assessed in the Netherlands from 2008 until 2013, using routinely recorded referrals from general practitioners to medical specialists and claims from medica... Mehr ...