How does it work?
Following a doctor’s appointment, you will pay your doctor directly for the service and/or treatment you received. Most doctors work within the state health insurance scheme (conventionné / geconventioneerd) and adhere to standard federal fees.
After you have paid, the doctor will issue you a ‘medical attestation’ (a receipt of service and payment); with this receipt you can claim reimbursement from your health insurance fund. Reimbursements by the public health service usually cover between 50% and 75% of the costs involved.
Many residents choose to top up their public coverage with an international health insurance plan such as those available with AXA – Global Healthcare . This way, you can have access to wider range of treatments, choice of medical providers and often shorter waiting periods for appointments and surgeries.
How do you claim reimbursement?
The medical attestation will be in the form of a paper receipt or an ‘eAttest’ receipt.
With a paper receipt
If you are handed a medical attestation paper receipt, send the original to your health insurance fund with an identification sticker (vignette/kleefbriefje) attached to the top (these are issued by your health insurance fund when you register). Your request will be processed and the reimbursement will be transferred into your bank account. You have two years from the date of your appointment to make any reimbursement claims.
With an ‘eAttest’ receipt
Since February 2018, general practitioners (GPs) can edit medical attestations electronically and issue an eAttest receipt. In this case, no action is required from you. Your doctor will send all relevant information (price and service/treatment received) to your health insurance fund, who will then reimburse you. The eAttest receipt will contain a tracking number enabling you to track the request online.
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Presented by AXA.
AXA – Global Healthcare (EU) Limited. Registered in Ireland number 630468. Registered Office: Wolfe Tone House, Wolfe Tone Street, Dublin 1. AXA – Global Healthcare (EU) Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. AXA – Global Healthcare (UK) Limited. Registered in England (No. 03039521). Registered Office: 20 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0BG, United Kingdom. AXA – Global Healthcare (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Sources:
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1102&langId=en&intPageId=4416
https://www.eu-healthcare.fi/health-services-abroad/country-specific-information-about-health-services/belgium/
https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/46278/medical-certificates-to-be-sent-electronically/