When you turn 18, can you get healthcare benefit?
Do you turn 18 this year? Since you must take out your own health insurance, you can usually get healthcare benefit.
Do your parents manage your health insurance, or will you stay co-insured on their policy? In that case, you can still get healthcare benefit, even if your parents pay the premium for you.
You receive healthcare benefit from the month after you turn 18. This is also the first month in which you must pay the premium for your health insurance yourself.
How to apply for healthcare benefit when you turn 18?
You must apply for healthcare benefit yourself. Make sure to take out health insurance first. You can do this before you turn 18. Afterwards, you can apply for your healthcare benefit.
If you want to receive your money quickly, apply for your healthcare benefit before the first of the month in which you turn 18. You will then receive the benefit around the 20th of the month. If you apply later, you will also receive the benefit later. The money for the missed months will then be paid out in one amount.
Example
You turn 18 on 10 October this year. You are entitled to healthcare benefit from 1 November. If you apply before 1 October, you will receive your first monthly payment on 20 October. That payment is for the month of November.
You can apply for healthcare benefit for 2024 until 1 September 2025.
Find out how to apply for healthcare benefit
We pay out healthcare benefit each month around the 20th. That payment is for the next month.
Are you under 18 years of age?
Until you turn 18, your health insurance is free. You do not pay premiums and you do not get healthcare benefit. If you are under 18 and have a child, you still cannot get healthcare benefit. This is because both of you have free insurance for healthcare costs.
Is your benefits partner under 18 years of age?
If you are 18 or older, but your benefits partner is under 18, you can still get healthcare benefit. In that case, you will receive half of the amount for someone whose benefits partner is 18 or older. Your benefits partner’s income counts when we calculate your healthcare benefit.
How much healthcare benefit can you get?
That depends on your situation. Your income counts when we calculate the amount of healthcare benefit. If you have a benefits partner, their income counts too. Do you still live at home with your parents? Then we do not look at your parents’ income.
Make a test calculation (only available in Dutch) to see how much healthcare benefit you can get.
