Coverage of healthcare expenses

Reimbursement of medical and health care costs in Luxembourg|

Are you moving to Luxembourg and wondering how your healthcare costs will be covered? Find all the information you need here.

Principle of medical care reimbursement

Advance payment of healthcare costs to practitioners

At present, the majority of patients have to pay the full amount of their medical expenses to their healthcare providers on presentation of a bill.

Once the bill has been paid, they can then claim reimbursement from the national health insurance funds, on presentation of receipted invoices .

The national health insurance funds cover all or part of the costs, depending on a number of criteria. Any supplementary health insurance subscribed to by the patient may or may not cover the remainder of the bill.

Mandatory registration with the CCSS

To have your health care covered by the national health insurance funds, you must first register with the Centre Commun de la Sécurité Sociale.

Only once you have registered will you be able to obtain full or partial reimbursement of your medical and healthcare expenses. The Health Fund with which you are affiliated will only reimburse you on presentation of proof of payment.

The Caisse Nationale de Santé (CNS) is the health insurance body for private-sector employees. The CMFEP is the insurance body for people working in the Luxembourg public sector.
These two health funds enable insured persons and their dependants to benefit from total or partial reimbursement of medical expenses, drugs, hospitalization, analyses and medical care, .....

Reimbursement of healthcare costs and billings 

To be reimbursed, in full or in part, medical expenses and bills must relate to a doctor's consultation, dental expenses, hospital fees, etc. Purchases of medicines and other products dispensed in pharmacies are also covered in full or in part by the health insurance funds, subject to a doctor's prescription.

The Caisse de santé reimburses these medical expenses on the basis of fee statements and invoices issued by healthcare providers. They must, however, meet all the professional legal obligations required in Luxembourg.

Medical expenses are reimbursed in part or in full, according to a nomenclature of procedures and a list of reimbursement rates published by the Luxembourg National Health Fund (CNS) and supplementary health funds. 

Third-party payment system in Luxembourg

Since 2013, social third-party payment has been in place for the most disadvantaged households. Under this scheme, the CNS pays healthcare costs directly to the service provider concerned. As a result, the beneficiary does not have to pay in advance.

To do this, the insured person must present his or her social security card to the healthcare provider. This will enable them to benefit from the portion covered by the third-party payment system. They will then only have to pay the remainder of the cost not covered by the CNS.

The "tiers-payant" system is due to be rolled out across the country in the near future, probably by 2024.

How do I get reimbursed for healthcare costs?

Covered by the Caisse Nationale de Santé in Luxembourg

As a private-sector employee or beneficiary/co-insured person, you can be reimbursed in full or in part for your medical expenses and medicines by the CNS or Caisse Nationale de Santé (National Health Fund). Before doing so, your employer must register you with the CCSS .

Thereafter, if you have had to pay medical expenses to a doctor or health specialist, all you have to do is send your health insurance fund (CNS or CMFEP) the receipted invoices for reimbursement.

The health insurance fund reimburses doctors' fees, medical care and the cost of medicines in full or in part, according to a precise nomenclature published by the CNS.

Please note that some medical or paramedical procedures are not covered by the Caisse Nationale de Santé. These include osteopaths, naturopaths, acupuncturists, etc.

What documents should I send to CNS for reimbursement?

Costs of treatment by a doctor or health care provider

Original receipts for fees or other medical expenses paid must be sent to the Caisse Nationale de Santé, together with proof of payment from the healthcare provider. 

When requesting reimbursement from the health insurance companies, you must enclose the following documents with your claim:

  1. Original receipted bill of fees
  2. Proof of payment (copy of bank transfer) if the fee invoice has not been paid directly by the service provider through immediate, on-the-spot payment.
  3. The indication of your bank account number for reimbursement by bank transfer (only if it has not already been indicated, in particular at the time of the first reimbursement request).
  4. The patient's 13-digit registration number.

Please note that you will need to enclose doctors' prescriptions for reimbursement of tests such as blood tests, X-rays, MRIs, physiotherapy, etc. Prescriptions must be less than 2 months old at the time of the specialist appointment.

Coverage of drug costs

The cost of drugs purchased at the chemist's is directly covered by the CNS, on medical prescriptions less than 2 months old. You don't need to pay the reimbursable portion in advance. You will only have to pay for the part that is not reimbursed.

This reimbursement is made on presentation of your health insurance card to the pharmacist. Reimbursement of all or part of the cost of drugs according to a specific nomenclature. You will just have to pay the pharmacist the part not covered by the health insurance fund.

Where do I send my claims to the CNS?

For all claims for reimbursement of doctors', specialists' and dentists' fees, please send the above documents to the Caisse Nationale de Santé (....).

Frontier workers affiliated to a health insurance fund in their country of residence are of course entitled to seek medical treatment in their own country. Reimbursement of healthcare costs will be made by the health insurance fund of the country of residence. If the patient seeks treatment in Luxembourg, reimbursements will be made by the CNS. See our page on health care for cross-border workers.

Reimbursement of healthcare costs

On the CNS (Caisse Nationale de Santé) website, you'll find the legal billing rates for doctors, based on the code wording found on medical fee statements. The CNS will reimburse your medical expenses up to these legal rates, not beyond.

To find out the reimbursement percentage for your medication, you can consult the list of drugs and the reimbursement percentage by clicking on this link.

  • Dental expenses: in addition to dental expenses, 2 scaling procedures are reimbursed per year, as is anaesthesia for fillings.
  • Cost of organic glasses and contact lenses: partial reimbursement, with improvement
  • Work stoppages: maximum benefit period of 78 weeks
  • 100% reimbursement of children's medical expenses for speech therapy, psychomotor therapy and nursing and/or physician-administered care.
  • Lymphatic drainage: 24 prescribed sessions, possibility of purchasing compression stockings in 2 pairs every 12 months

Reimbursement of medical treatment abroad

In the event of urgent treatment abroad, a distinction must be made between European Union countries and Switzerland and other destinations.

In the European Union and Switzerland, urgent care is theoretically reimbursed on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card.

In other countries, you will have to pay the full cost in advance, and on your return you will have to check with your health insurance fund for possible reimbursement.

In any case, remember to ask for detailed, receipted invoices, written if possible in one of the common European languages (French, German, English).
To facilitate reimbursement, also make sure that the doctor consulted or the provider is accredited and conventionné (as opposed to a private practitioner).

In all cases, we advise you to contact your health insurance company before your departure to find out about any reimbursement terms and conditions.

Improve reimbursement of medical expenses

You should be aware that the CNS and CMFEP do not reimburse the full cost of health care, medical expenses and medicines.

To improve your medical reimbursements, consider taking out mutual health insurance. For a monthly fee, it will cover the difference and optimize your reimbursement rate for medical expenses. 

Supplementary health insurance is not compulsory in Luxembourg. However, it can be a very good investment against life's accidents. Don't hesitate to ask for quotes from several companies.

Find out more about our health insurance services.

Understand the Luxembourg insurance system to cover your property and your loved ones.

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