'Extremely painful': fierce reactions to government plans for care for the disabled

The caretaker cabinet is definitely pushing through the major cuts in disability care. Starting next year, the maximum rates for certain treatments will be lowered. According to former State Secretary Vicky Maeijer (PVV), the intervention is necessary, but there is fierce criticism in the healthcare sector.

The announced cuts in disability care are causing great concern. Due to the resignation of PVV State Secretary Vicky Maeijer, when the Schoof cabinet fell, the parliamentary debate has been postponed. The sector therefore hopes that a new cabinet will reconsider the plans. It concerns 88 million euros per year, RTL Nieuws reports.

Tomorrow, the House of Representatives was supposed to discuss the plans . However, due to the departure of State Secretary for Long-term and Social Care Vicky Maeijer, the debate has been postponed. Next year, 157 million euros will be saved, increasing to 265 million in 2029. The disabled sector hopes that the cuts will be declared controversial, so that a new cabinet can review them. The Association for Disabled Care in the Netherlands (VGN) calls the measure 'incredibly painful'.

GroenLinks-PvdA MP Lisa Westerveld responds to the cuts to X: "If the threshold for reaching politicians is higher, then you are more likely to be cut. Because there will be no fuss anyway." She continues: "Sad, but unfortunately this is what is threatening to happen. It is also extra painful that the debate will not take place tomorrow."

SP leader Jimmy Dijk also calls the cuts antisocial. He submitted a motion yesterday to scrap them – and it was adopted, remarkably enough also with the support of the PVV, the party of the State Secretary who wanted to implement the plan. What will happen to the proposal now is still unclear. SP MP Sarah Dobbe also reacted strongly , she calls the cuts to X a 'disgrace' and 'inhuman'.

According to director Theo van Uum of the Association for Disabled Care Netherlands (VGN), the cuts are insufficiently substantiated and unrealistic. "This will have tangible and direct consequences for a large group of vulnerable people. That worries us greatly," he says.

In addition to the financial intervention, the VGN is also concerned about the lack of solutions for other persistent problems, such as poor accessibility of public buildings, the shortage of suitable and adapted housing and the lack of appropriate education for people with disabilities. According to Van Uum, these issues remain structurally unsolved .

Not only the VGN, but also experts are concerned about the consequences, such as Professor of Public Health Economics Jochen Mierau of the University of Groningen. "There are staff shortages and increasing waiting lists. Now that there is no longer a minister and state secretary, the plans for healthcare are in jeopardy."

The economist does not think that anything will change in the short term: "It will take a year and a half before a cabinet is in place that can deal with difficult issues. Problems are therefore postponed and that leads to rising costs and longer waiting lists."

“The measure is necessary in light of sustainable government finances,” former State Secretary Vicky Meijer said earlier.

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