Shockwave: Cost and Insurance

At Physical Studio, shockwave is part of a regular physiotherapy appointment at the regular rate. Your health insurer treats that appointment as physiotherapy.

Regular physiotherapy rate, no surcharge

Your first appointment is a 50-minute intake with treatment. Follow-up appointments last 25 minutes. If your physiotherapist uses shockwave in one of those appointments, the rate stays the same. Current prices are on our pricing page.

Clinics handle this in different ways. Some charge a surcharge or a separate rate per shockwave session. If you are comparing clinics, ask about the total cost per appointment.

A course usually includes three to five appointments with shockwave, one week apart. You discuss the total number of appointments, including those for your exercises, with your physiotherapist after the intake.

Physiotherapy insurance in the Netherlands

Supplementary insurance (aanvullende verzekering)

For adults, supplementary insurance usually covers physiotherapy. Common packages cover between 6 and 27 sessions per calendar year. You pay no deductible (eigen risico) on this cover, and we bill covered treatments straight to your insurer.

Basic insurance (basisverzekering)

Basic insurance only covers adult physiotherapy for conditions on the government's list of chronic conditions (in Dutch). You then pay the first 20 sessions yourself or through supplementary insurance. From the 21st session basic insurance pays, and your deductible applies.

Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, calcific shoulder and the other tendon complaints we use shockwave for are not on that list. If you are 18 or older, basic insurance pays nothing for them.

Under 18

If you are under 18, basic insurance covers the first 9 physiotherapy sessions. If needed, your insurer can cover up to 9 more, and you pay no deductible. Your physiotherapist does not use shockwave over the growth plates of children and teenagers.

Four questions for your insurer

The conditions are in your policy documents. If they are unclear, call your insurer with these questions:

1. How many physiotherapy sessions does my supplementary package cover this calendar year?
2. How many of those have I used so far this year?
3. Do you reimburse my physiotherapist's full rate, or is there a maximum amount per session?
4. Do you have extra conditions, such as a GP referral?

Ask about cover for physiotherapy, even if you are coming for shockwave.

Expats in Amsterdam

If you live in the Netherlands, or work here for a Dutch employer, you are in most cases required to take out Dutch health insurance. You have four months to arrange it. If you work for a foreign employer, you can sometimes keep your own insurance, and the SVB (Social Insurance Bank) can check which rules apply to you.

With Dutch basic insurance, the rules above apply.

With international insurance, your policy decides what you get back. Ask your insurer whether your policy covers physiotherapy in the Netherlands, whether you need a referral or prior approval, and whether you pay first and claim afterwards. If we cannot bill a Dutch insurer directly, you receive the invoice through Infomedics and submit it to your own insurer.

Your first appointment

Bring your insurance card, ID and any previous test results, and wear sports clothing. If you are pregnant, take blood thinners or have a pacemaker, say so at the start of the appointment.

Your physiotherapist assesses your complaint and discusses with you whether shockwave fits. If it does, the first treatment can take place in the same appointment. It can be painful during treatment, and the area may be red or tender for a short time afterwards.

Between appointments you do your exercises, at home or in the studio. Expect the effect to build over weeks to months, and review with your physiotherapist along the way whether the plan works.

If you are unsure whether shockwave suits your complaint, book a physiotherapy appointment. Your physiotherapist assesses it during the examination. For more on the treatment, see shockwave therapy in Amsterdam.