Junior health minister Martin van Rijn told health insurers on Tuesday he will not postpone changes to the long-term care system.

The government plans to transfer responsibility for organising long-term care to local authorities in 2015, while cutting 40% from the home nursing budget. The aim is to shave €1bn from government spending.

Health insurers have for some time been saying 2015 is too soon because local councils do not yet have the necessary systems in place to deal with this new responsibility.

However, Van Rijn told André Rouvoet, chairman of the health insurers’ association ZN, he does not see any reason to postpone the handover, the Telegraaf reports.

He did say he will keep an eye on progress to ensure the systems put in place by councils are ‘fit for purpose for 2015’.