Families in Belgium spent significantly more on healthcare costs last year compared to other European countries, according to a report in De Tijd and L'Echo on Tuesday.
The newspaper conducted an analysis based on new Eurostat figures on household expenditures and consumption.
Spending on health in Belgium in 2023 was nearly 4.4% higher than in 2022, more than three times the European average increase.
Belgian households’ healthcare expenses, adjusted for inflation, also rose faster than those of neighbouring countries. However, this total amount refers to gross expenditures rather than the final costs after potential reimbursements from insurance.
Health economist Dominique Vandijck (UGent) attributes the rapid increase to the fact that more healthcare providers are not contracted, meaning that they do not have to follow regulated rates.
"For hospitals, which are increasingly struggling financially, the contribution from doctors’ fees is becoming more important. Government funding covers only about 40% of the costs," he told L'Echo.
As a result, more doctors are abandoning their pricing agreements with the government. Physical therapists and midwives are also more frequently opting out of the convention.
