The excellent quality of healthcare in Belgium is acknowledged well beyond the country's borders. In both private and public institutions, the service provided is reputed to be among the best in the world.
"Public or privateGPs and specialists can decide whether to practice as officially recognised by the health service or not. Those who take up this status are part of the public health system and their fees are set by agreements. The others are free to set their rates for the treatment they provide. This means that costs can vary greatly from one professional to another, depending on market demand for his speciality and whether you go to his private practice or a hospital. In Belgium, the patient is free to choose which doctor he sees. They are all listed in the white pages telephone directory under D for « doctor». To help you choose, the English Community Help service's Help Line is available on 02/648.40.14 and on the Internet at the following address: www.chsbelgium.org. There are also many chemists in Brussels. Each one must indicate in its window the duty chemist in the neighbourhood.
Insurance is compulsory
There are two types of health insurance: the compulsory and the complementary. These are social contributions that help fund compulsory insurance. The services and amounts that can be reimbursed are set out in agreements between the various actors in the INAMI (l'institut national d'assurance maladie invalidité) sector. Due to a lack of resources, some services are not reimbursed. Each "mutuelle" (health insurance company) therefore offers complementary insurance that varies according to the services it wants to favour. You will receive a social ID card, called the SIS card from you ""mutuelle"" which you must carry - this contains all of your personal details."
