What can we help you with?

The cost of medical care rises every year. In addition, on average around 80% of a person’s lifetime medical expenses are incurred after reaching retirement age. Older people are generally admitted to hospital more frequently for complex and expensive treatment. For this reason, premiums for hospitalisation plans are higher for those who join at a later age.

Not all of your medical expenses may be covered by your insurance policy. Below are a few common examples:

Restrictions or exclusions
Some costs are not reimbursed or are only partially reimbursed under your insurance plan. These include, for example, purely aesthetic cosmetic surgery procedures with no medical purpose.

Personal contribution (copay)
Your personal contribution is a deductible that you must pay yourself for costs covered by your insurance policy. The amount of your personal contribution depends on the terms and conditions of your insurance policy. Medical expenses below the threshold of your maximum personal contribution will not be reimbursed.

Limit amount
For certain reimbursements, a limit amount applies. Up to this set amount, you will be reimbursed for specific treatment or other medical expenses. Once this limit has been reached, you will have to pay any remaining costs yourself.

Non-medical expenses
Non-medical expenses are never covered by your insurance. Examples include items such as personal care products or Wi-Fi charges during a hospital stay: these are always paid by you. You can check your policy terms and conditions for full details of the expenses that are eligible for reimbursement.

Reimbursement of maternity care or postnatal care depends on your policy terms and conditions. Is reimbursement included in your policy? If so, then only maternity care provided by an accredited maternity nurse or an accredited maternity care centre is covered. Home cleaning and general domestic help services are not reimbursed by your hospitalisation insurance.

The maternity care services must fall within the recognised post-partum period. Check your policy terms and conditions to find out which rules and limitations apply (for example, a maximum number of days, a maximum reimbursement amount, or only maternity care directly following a hospital admission).

Do you have additional assistance insurance through Assi-Link or Assi-Link+? Then maternity care is reimbursed under the plan ‘Assistance during hospitalisation in your home country’.

A serious illness remains covered as long as you still receive treatment for the same disorder, or until the end of your affiliation under this policy.

Follow-up

It is possible that our medical adviser asks for a follow-up report in order to stay informed about your file. In that case, we will keep you informed.

Reimbursement

Reimbursements in connection with your serious illness are always done according to the conditions of your policy.

If your son or daughter is admitted to hospital, you may want to stay overnight with your child during their hospital stay. The stay of a relative in the room of a patient is called rooming-in.

Reimbursement of rooming-in depends on the terms and conditions of your insurance policy. If rooming-in is covered by your insurance plan, the reimbursed amount typically depends on the child’s age. There is often a restriction on the maximum number of days reimbursed or a maximum amount.

Does your policy cover rooming-in? Then submit your child’s hospital invoice, showing the rooming-in charges. Separate bills or invoices – for example, for hotel accommodation in the parent’s name – will never be reimbursed.

Non-medical costs are not reimbursed by your hospital insurance. Examples of non-medical expenses include personal care products or the cost of a partner’s stay in your room (rooming-in) during hospitalisation. You’ll find full details of eligible costs for reimbursement in your policy terms and conditions.

Depending on your policy conditions and whether a collective plan was provided for retirement, you can either remain affiliated or continue individually.

Your personal contribution (or copay) is a deductible that you must pay yourself for treatment or other expenses covered by your insurance policy. The amount of your personal contribution depends on the terms and conditions of your insurance. Depending on your policy, your copay is withheld either per policy year or per claim year (starting from the moment you submit your first claim or expense). Your personal contribution is deducted from the costs eligible for reimbursement until the maximum amount has been reached. The amount deducted as your personal contribution is always shown on the settlement note you receive from us. You can find a detailed overview of your maximum personal contribution in your policy terms.

Are you submitting your medical expenses online via the Vanbreda App or the web portal? Select the type of coverage that applies to your expense for smooth administrative processing and fast reimbursement.

Hospitalisation
Select the ‘Hospitalisation’ option in the app or web portal for all medical expenses related to a hospital stay. This includes, for example, your hospital bill, as well as costs incurred during the official pre- or post-admission period of your hospitalisation, such as medication, doctor’s visits and physiotherapy. Request your policy terms and conditions to check which costs are covered by your insurance plan and the duration of your official pre- and post-hospitalisation period.

Serious illness
Select the ‘Serious illness’ option in the app or web portal for all medical expenses related to a recognised serious illness (e.g. cancer or diabetes). Examples of related costs include medication, doctor’s visits, physiotherapy and care services. Request your policy terms and conditions to check which costs are covered by your insurance plan and which conditions are recognised as serious illnesses.

Outpatient care
Select the ‘Outpatient’ option in the app or web portal for all medical expenses that aren’t related to a hospital admission or a recognised serious illness. If you only have a hospitalisation plan with Vanbreda Health Care, outpatient expenses that are not related to hospitalisation or serious illness are typically not covered and do not need to be submitted. If you have an outpatient plan with Vanbreda Health Care, your insurance policy will reimburse certain outpatient expenses. Request your policy terms and conditions to see exactly which outpatient costs are covered by your insurance.