More than one in five Belgians struggled to afford basic healthcare costs in the past year, according to a survey conducted by Testachats, an independent Belgian consumer organisation.
The survey, conducted between June and September 2025, asked over 1,000 people about their ability to manage healthcare expenses. The consumer organisation described the results as "grim".
A quarter of respondents reported spending over 20% of their household income on healthcare.
Across Belgium, 22% said they had difficulty paying for basic healthcare costs, with significant regional disparities: 30% in Brussels, 26% in Wallonia, and 19% in Flanders.
Specific healthcare needs posed challenges. Of households requiring glasses, 29% struggled to cover the expense. Problems were also noted with hearing aids (26%) and dental care (24%). Additionally, one in five families postponed or cancelled at least one healthcare expenditure in the past year.
Testachats called the findings "alarming", particularly in light of the government’s decision to increase co-payments for certain medications. Spokesperson Laura Clays urged Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) to act on healthcare costs.
Clays highlighted issues such as excessive fee supplements and the shortage of conventional healthcare providers offering standardised rates.
She called for a cap on fee supplements and incentives to encourage more doctors to join the conventional system.
