Background: In 2020, Zorgverzekeraars Nederland (ZN), the umbrella organization of nine health insurers in The Netherlands. presented a vision of the future of mental health care in the Netherlands in ‘De GGZ in 2025. Vergezicht op de geestelijke gezondheidszorg’ (‘Outlook on mental health care’). This document can be seen as marking the fact that key stakeholders share a common vision on the future of the GGZ in the Netherlands. Contracting care is often difficult. The tension between providing quality and sufficient care and available funding leads to friction. Congruence in vision, goals and practices are important conditions for adequate relationship building. Does the vision document contribute to this?
Aim: To discuss the experiences of mental health care administrators and health insurers in contracting and collaboration.
Method: Conducting interviews with both directors of mental health institutions and the strategic (policy) advisors of health insurers. In the approach we used the salience model.
Results: The relationship between mental health care administrators and health insurers is perceived to be distrustful and complex, and has deteriorated slightly in 2021 compared to 2019. Perceived power, legitimacy and urgency affect the relationship. Almost all health insurers are characterized as dominant stakeholders based on the salience model. Both parties are open to improving the relationship, which requires more transparency and mutual understanding.
Conclusion: With the supported content of the vision document, there is to some extent shared governance. The change steps (shared innovation) considered desirable will be promoted by partly granting the intended benefits to each other (shared savings).