Belgium's Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit), has called for speeding up hospital reforms following a report showing that 35% of doctors’ fees could directly fund hospital operations, according to De Standaard.
Belgium’s hospital financing system has been under strain for years. Many hospitals ask doctors to surrender a significant portion of their fees, a practice that varies widely among institutions, sometimes leading to unnecessary medical procedures such as needless scans.
The government, under Bart De Wever, aims to clarify this situation by introducing a "pure fees" system for doctors, eliminating contributions to hospital operations.
Currently, there is no clear distinction between fees allocated for professional services and those directed toward covering operational costs such as equipment, materials, and administrative staff.
On Monday evening, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (Inami) released public studies for doctors, hospitals, and health insurance funds.
One report revealed that 35% of total medical fees currently cover operational costs. Applied to present conditions, this equates to €4.2 billion out of €12 billion in total medical fees, based on calculations from 2019.
Vandenbroucke’s office emphasised to De Standaard that these reports represent a significant starting point. “We expect initial reactions fairly soon so that we can move forward to the next phase after the summer,” the minister stated.
Belgium’s main physicians’ union, Absym, acknowledged the 35% figure as a logical basis but expressed scepticism toward the minister’s proposed next steps.
The union is demanding firm guarantees that doctors’ contributions to hospital funding will indeed be abolished. It has also voiced reservations about the rapid pace of reform envisioned by Vandenbroucke.
