People in the Netherlands spent an average of €5,300 a year on healthcare last year, the national statistics office CBS has calculated.

In 2006, the year the government introduced its new ‘one size fits all’ approach to health insurance, the average bill was almost €4,000.

The CBS figure includes insurance premiums, fees, social insurance contributions and tax-related payments as well as payments by employers and the extra fees which the self-employed have to pay.

Tax and social premiums account for most of the total bill, at around €3,700. In addition, the basic insurance package costs an average €850 a year. Top up policies for dentistry and other treatment amount to an additional €250 a year.

Direct payments to healthcare institutions amount to around €560.