Pharmacies in the Netherlands

Pharmacies in the Netherlands work closely with health insurance companies to provide prescription medications. Most medications require a prescription from a general practitioner or specialist. Pharmacies dispense medications and automatically process insurance claims. If a medication is covered by insurance, you may need to pay a co-payment or nothing at all, depending on your health plan.

Every resident must have basic health insurance in the Netherlands, which covers most essential prescription drugs. The Dutch National Healthcare Institute determines which medications are included in the basic package. Some medications may not be fully reimbursed, requiring extra payment or supplementary insurance.

An annual deductible, or eigen risico in Dutch, applies to most medical costs, including prescriptions. In 2025, this is €385 per year. After reaching the deductible, medications covered under basic insurance are fully reimbursed.

Many insurers apply a preferred medication policy, meaning they only reimburse the cheapest version of a drug, usually the generic brand. If you want a specific branded medication sometimes you will need to pay the difference.

There are different types of pharmacies. Regular pharmacies dispense prescription and over-the-counter medications. Online pharmacies like MedApp allow some medications to be ordered and delivered. Emergency pharmacies are available after hours.

Most pharmacies bill insurance companies directly. E-prescriptions are common, meaning a general practitioner sends prescriptions digitally to the pharmacy. Some medications, like painkillers or allergy tablets, can be bought without a prescription at pharmacies or drugstores.