Exceptional medical care
Belgium offers the highest-quality medical care, which is regarded among the best healthcare systems in Europe and the world. As in most countries, the system divides itself into state and private, so you need to ensure that you are adequately covered through either the state insurance and/or private insurance. The biggest advantage of the state insurance is that you can choose any doctor, clinic or hospital you like, in any location, according to your needs in much the same way as you can with private insurance.
Doctors
General practitioners (GPs) can be found in private practices or attached to clinics and hospitals and you are free to consult or register with any you like. There are also an enormous number of pharmacies, spread all over the country, which all have the green cross sign in order to be easily found by the people. There is a rota system for chemists to open outside of usual hours and through the night.
Healthcare insurance
Healthcare insurance is a part of the Belgian social security system and to benefit you must join a health insurance fund. Once you are employed by a Belgian company, your contributions and those of your employer will be automatically deducted from your salary by the National Office for Social Security. Then you sign up with a health insurance fund, which will reimburse your medical costs. These funds do not, however, cover 100 percent of your bills; you may be compensated for about half to three-quarters of a typical doctors or specialists visit. Once insured you get a standardized credit card style “SIS card” which you will need in pharmacies and hospitals.
