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02/04/2009Belgian healthcare system

Belgian healthcare system Expats are in good hands in Belgium, which has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Here is our updated guide.

Belgian Healthcare

You can be assured of the highest-quality medical care in Belgium, regarded as among the best healthcare systems in Europe.  As in most countries, the system divides itself into state and private, though fees are payable in both, so you need to ensure that you are adequately covered through either the state insurance and/or private insurance.  The advantages of the state mutuelle/mutualiteit scheme is that you can choose any doctor, clinic or hospital you like, in any location and without referral, according to your needs in much the same way as you can with private insurance.

Doctors

General practitioners can be found in private practices or attached to clinics and hospitals and you are free to consult or register with any you like.  Similarly with specialist consultants. It may be a decision based on location, language or recommendation.  It's always worth speaking to neighbours or colleagues when you first arrive; everyone knows of a doctor, or has heard of one with a good reputation.  Also try asking on the expatica.com forums. Embassies usually keep lists of doctors who can work in your language, though it has to be said that most doctors have a good understanding of English.

It’s always worth checking whether a doctor is registered as national health service (conventionné/geconventioneerd) or private.  Some are both, perhaps working at a hospital and also in their own private practice.  One thing to remember is to take cash with you. Consultations usually end with a handing over of money and very few doctors offer payment by card of any type.  If you have state social security, reimbursement rates are calculated but only after you’ve paid up front.  If you are on a private scheme, or are uninsured, you pay the whole lot there and then.  It's always worth checking fees before you book an appointment.  




5 reactions to this article

Marcin posted: 14-11-2008 | 11:01 AM

Really??? One of the best in the world???

http://www.expatica.com/be/articles/news/Belgian-healthcare-in-12th-place.html

John posted: 19-11-2008 | 11:48 PM

Well, it encounters suicides. That has little to do with healthcare. It also states that healthcare is better in the netherlands, well you can say that to someone who couldn't be done for surgery because the doctor leaves at 5pm.

Jim Steele posted: 28-11-2008 | 1:06 PM

We moved to Hasselt, from Canada, 4 years ago.
There is absolutely no question the health care system here is far and away superior.
No waiting for a Dr.s appointment. Scans, X Rays as needed and promptly done. Reference to specialists as needed and/or requested! Friendly practitioners, nurses, hospital staff. Leading edge techniques/procedures.
In our case we pay for the health coverage but it would be a bargain at many times the price.
The "socialist" system, or gov't funded plans do not work!

Andres VM posted: 02-12-2008 | 5:56 PM

I don't mind private healthcare clinics as long as they're "non-profit". Greedy right wing doctors only see dollar signs not their obligations to administer help regardless of income level. True, Canada has socialized healthcare..which means everyone is covered from the homeless to multi-millionaires...it's called a truely democractic healthcare system...because life is sacred.
The Americans will eventually have full universal healthcare...they already have a socialized pension system, socialized education system, and socialized fire and police departments. This has not lead America to communism as the right wing coporate media states all the time! Watch Star Trek...capitalism no longer exists! True democracy will only exist once we rid ourselves of the monetary system!

JSS posted: 30-12-2009 | 8:23 AM

No question: Canadian healthcare system shames the Belgian one in its comprehensive care for every person. The Belgian system is unneccessarily administratively dense. (Why the stickers?) We moved to LLN from Vancouver--I'll take my Vancouver GP's any day...

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