Planned care abroad
Before treatment abroad starts, the patient must have received permission from CM's consulting physician.
Before a planned treatment abroad starts, the patient must have prior permission from CM's consulting physician.
Even if the care is provided abroad, the health insurance will only make a reimbursement if the care is included in the Belgian insurance package .
If the foreign care is not included in the Belgian insurance package but meets the criteria of the special solidarity fund , an application in principle abroad can be submitted to the board of medical directors (Riziv).
In the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
In the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland you can usually freely choose the healthcare provider .
For a hospital admission with at least an overnight stay, the consulting physician must give prior permission. This can be done for two reasons:
- the necessary care is not available in a timely manner in Belgium, taking into account the individual medical situation of the patient (waiting lists);
- the required care can be provided in more favorable medical circumstances (in a strict medical-technical sense) that the advising physician deems necessary.
In principle, you can request permission for all outpatient care. The condition is that the necessary care is not available in Belgium 'in a timely manner' , taking into account the individual medical situation of the patient (waiting lists). Experience shows that this condition is only rarely met.
- Scanners, MRI, radiotherapy, PET scan and cath lab
Prior permission from the consulting physician is always required.
- Other outpatient care
No prior permission is required. The patient pays for the care provided and submits the invoices and certificates for the care provided to CM. The refund will be made in accordance with Belgian rates and regulations.
Arguments of a social nature, comfort or the extent to which certain care is reimbursed do not play a role in the assessment by the advising doctor.
Other countries
For a hospital admission with at least an overnight stay, the consulting physician must give prior permission. This is only possible if the required care can be provided in more favorable medical circumstances (in a strict medical-technical sense) that the advising physician deems necessary.
There is no refund. The costs are fully borne by the patient.
Apply a request
Before treatment abroad starts, the patient must have received permission from CM's consulting physician . It includes :
- a written request signed by the patient or his legal representative;
- a detailed medical report from a doctor specialist in the condition to be treated.
The medical questionnaire is a guideline to motivate the application. It prevents the need to repeatedly request additional information. The questionnaire forms the basis for CM's decision, but you can of course add other documents. After all, it is extremely important that the advising physician gets a complete picture of the application.
The patient must wait for permission before undergoing treatment. The application procedure takes a maximum of 45 days, unless additional information is obtained.
Application forms
There is a specific form for planned care abroad and rehabilitation abroad.
Genetic research
Through an agreement with eight centers for human genetics in Belgium, genetic research by a foreign laboratory can be reimbursed by the Belgian health insurance.
The condition is that the patient has been referred to one of the eight Belgian centers (see below) by his specialist physician . These reference centers are responsible for contact with foreign centers and invoicing.
If this procedure is not followed, no reimbursement for genetic testing by a foreign laboratory is possible.
More information can be found on the Riziv website .
Belgian reference centres
- Leuven: Center for Human Heredity KUL, Herestraat 49
- Brussels (1200): Center de Genetique UCL - Tour Rosalind Franklin Entrance F, Av. E. Mounier
- Gosselies: Center de genetique Humaine - Institut de Pathologie et de Genetique, Av. G. Lemaitre 25
- Brussels (1090): Center for Human Genetics VUB, Laarbeeklaan 103
- Edegem: Center for Medical Genetics UZA, Prins Boudewijnlaan 43
- Brussels (1070): Center de Genetique ULB - campus Erasme, Route de Lennik 808
- Ghent: Center for Medical Genetics UG, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent
- Liège: Center de Genetique Humaine Ulg, CHU Sart Tilman