Living in Belgium - The health system

Health care includes both preventive and curative care. Health care is grouped into different categories, such as: standard medical care (home visits of and visits to GPs and specialists, dental care, births, etc.).

Claimants

Sickness insurance covers almost all socio-professional categories, i.e. wage-earners, the self employed, civil servants, people on guaranteed minimum income benefit, pensioners, students, handicapped people, etc., and their dependants. Sickness insurance is also compulsory for everyone, and there are all manner of measures to avoid some people still remaining uncovered as far as possible. To be entitled to health care you must be registered with a mutual benefit association and pay contributions. Obviously the amount of the contributions depends on a number of factors, e.g. the claimant's income. If you have come from a country with which Belgium has concluded a social security agreement for the calculation of insurance periods, you must have been covered by the health insurance scheme of the relevant Member State or country for at least six months prior to joining (as proved by form E-104).

Refunding of medical expenses

If you visit a doctor or receive medical care, you must initially pay the full amount. The doctor will then give you a certificate describing the care provided. If you submit that certificate, the health scheme will refund some of the costs. The part that is not refunded is the insured person's own contribution. This varies according to the type of service provided. There is a special refund system for disadvantaged persons.

Refunding of the cost of medicines

If the medicine is prescribed by a registered doctor, the patient does not have to pay the full price, but only the patient contribution.

Refunding of hospital expenses

Expenses incurred in hospitals and other care institutions are refunded on a lump-sum basis by the insurance scheme.

Physiotherapy is only refunded if the treatment is prescribed by a doctor.

Hospitalisation insurance

Some companies take out hospitalisation insurance for their employees.

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Text last edited on: 08/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2007
Reproduction is authorised.