Your drug costs in 2026

You take medicine because your health is important. But what about the cost in 2026? As a pharmacy, we like to help you explain this clearly and simply. That way you know where you stand and there won't be any surprises. On our Health Insurance page you will find a list of health insurance companies with whom we have a contract.

Health insurance & medication costs 2026: this you need to know

Medicines are usually reimbursed from the basic insurance. Yet sometimes you pay a portion yourself. This is because:

Eigen risico: the amount you first pay yourself for care from the basic insurance.
Eigen bijdrage: some medicines are not fully reimbursed.

You can find reliable information on Rijksoverheid.nl, Apotheek.nl and RIVM.nl.

Preference policy: why you sometimes get a different brand

Many health insurers use the preference policy. That means they designate one brand per active ingredient that they reimburse. All brands work (almost) the same, but the packaging, name or excipients may differ.

One insurer enforces this policy more strictly than another.

This may mean that you:

will get a different brand than you're used to
a medication sometimes differs in pharmaceutical form (e.g., smette tablet versus a regular tablet)
will get questions about how to recognize your medication

The KNMP has an overview of preferred drugs by insurer. View it here.

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When can a brand change be undesirable?

In most cases, you won't notice much difference when switching brands. Still, sometimes it can be inconvenient.

Example
Suppose you have been taking the same medication for thyroid problems or epilepsy for years. You feel good and stable. Then when you get a different brand, it may happen that:

grievances come back
you get new side effects
your treatment has to be readjusted

That can be very annoying. It is good to know that the pharmacy does not choose this preference policy itself. We have to supply what is reimbursed. But we are on your side: are you experiencing problems? Then together we look for a suitable solution and we can involve the general practitioner.

Deductible, co-payment and reimbursement in 2026

The deductible applies to many prescription drugs. Once this is exhausted, many costs will continue to be reimbursed. Sometimes you pay a co-payment in addition.

More explanation can also be found at:

Our role in this?

We check with each delivery:

Will the medicine be reimbursed?
Are there equivalent alternatives at no extra cost?
What exactly do you pay?

Want more information? Then take a look at our webpage at 'Health insurance'. Here you will also find more information about care programs and reimbursements.
We give advice on safe use, costs and choices in your situation. Together we ensure that your treatment continues to work well and remains affordable.