People who buy their health insurance from VGZ will not be able to get regular treatment at Twente hospital MST until next year because their budget has been spent, broadcaster NOS said on Friday.

The hospital says on its website that VGZ patients face longer waiting lists because the insurer has not bought enough treatment to meet demand. Although VGZ had been briefed on the shortfall in August, no solution has been found.

Emergency treatment for VGZ patients is not affected. Some 150 to 200 VGZ patients have appointments at the hospital for non-emergency treatment every week.

Last year, two hospitals in Noord-Holland province stopped carrying out cataract operations on patients insured with CZ  because the budgets were used up.

However, a halt to patient services in October is extremely unusual, NOS said.