Starting November 1, 2026, Dutch citizens who retire early and move to another EU country will no longer be covered by Dutch healthcare unless they receive statutory pensions such as AOW or disability benefits.
This change stems from an update to Annex XI of EU Regulation 883/2004, which determines which pensions grant eligibility for healthcare coverage via the Dutch Central Administration Office (CAK).
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Only statutory pensions like AOW, Anw, WAO, WIA, and Wajong remain eligible.
Other pension types, including early retirement pensions, flexible pensions, bridging allowances, military pensions, and severance payments for civil servants, will no longer provide healthcare coverage abroad under Dutch law.
The CAK expects the new rules to affect anyone emigrating or retiring early after November 1, 2026, who is not already registered with CAK, requiring them to secure private insurance until reaching AOW age.
Current CAK clients retain their coverage rights.
According to the association representing Dutch retirees abroad, this creates a "yo-yo situation" where retirees are covered by Dutch insurance, then face uninsured periods, and become covered again upon receiving AOW benefits.
"Those who registered with CAK received healthcare at the expense of the Netherlands, those who did not register did not.
That situation is now resolved," said a representative cited by welingelichtekringen. nl.
The government argues the previous ambiguous wording in the regulation allowed a choice that has now been clarified, and expects most retirees to obtain coverage in their new country or through a partner.
