The Dutch health insurance company Menzis, one of the four largest insurance companies operating in the Netherlands, has decided to move away from fee-for-service for selected behavioral health conditions. Starting in 2019, it will no longer pay providers for depression and anxiety lasting less than one year, based on the number of treatment sessions. Instead, remuneration will depend on the level of improvement in symptoms and quality of life of the patient as indicated by patient questionnaires and other data sources. The Dutch Association of Psychiatrists disagreed with the move, arguing that the recovery path for behavioral health is highly unpredictable and not necessarily linked to treatment.
