Insured healthcare provision by self-employed carers
Are you a freelance/self-employed carer or nurse in the Netherlands? And do you want to provide your clients with insured care at home under the Social Support act (Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning, Wmo) or the Long-term Care Act (Wet langdurige zorg, Wlz)? You can do so directly, or through an intermediary or care provider.
To provide insured healthcare you have several options:
- You can offer your services through a care provider. This is an approved institution (in Dutch), such as a homecare organisation, care institution, or intermediary agency.
- You can conclude an agreement with a care administration office (zorgkantoor, in Dutch). They make sure that everyone who is entitled to care under the Wlz gets the right.
- You provide care directly to an individual client with a Personal Care Budget (persoonsgebonden budget, pgb) they use to pay for the care you provide.
Reporting as a care provider
Do you provide care as a self-employed professional as referred to in the Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act (Wet kwaliteit, klachten en geschillen zorg, Wkkgz)? If so, you must first register as a healthcare provider. To find out if you need to report you can check the brochure ‘Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act’ (in Dutch). You can report by completing the questionnaire (in Dutch). In most cases you will need eHerkenning to report.
Avoid false self-employment
When you accept an assignment, you need to check if you will be working as an employee or as a self-employed professional. You have to avoid false self-employment. Use a model agreement if you think you may be considered an entrepreneur by the Netherlands Tax Administration. An approved model agreement (in Dutch) for freelancers/self-employed professionals who give home care commissioned by care institutions is available. This document clarifies the working relationship between the parties involved.
Model agreement for home care
There is an approved model agreement for self-employed professionals in home care who provide home care on behalf of a healthcare institution available (in Dutch).