All citizens and foreign workers are covered by the social health care system in Luxembourg. The services are either available for free or can be reimbursed after the care has been provided. Up to 90% of medical services can be covered by the state insurance system.
Senior citizens and unemployed people who plan to obtain a residence permit in Luxembourg must get a private health insurance plan prior to their arrival in the country.
The list is quite impressive:
The costs of medications are reimbursed from 40% to 100%, according to the medication. You can find a list of reimbursable medications on the CNS website.
The state will only cover your treatment if the doctor is a member of the state healthcare system. All doctors who are entitled to work in Luxembourg are contracted by the Caisse nationale de santé (CNS).
Normally, the doctor will inform the patient about the amount that can be reimbursed. Afterward, the CNS will decide how much the patient is paying for the treatment on their own and how much will be reimbursed.
In order to do so, you will have to register at the Social Security Center (CCSS) and obtain a CNS card. It is a double-sided social security card with a 13-digit national identification number. Every time you go to the hospital, to a doctor's appointment, or to buy medicine at the pharmacy, you will have to show your CNS card.
The front side contains the necessary information about the insured person and grants the right to health care in Luxembourg.
The reverse side (EHIC — European Health Insurance Card) provides health insurance coverage throughout Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Macedonia, as well as the EU and EEA countries (Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland).
You must follow this link and register with MyGuichet.lu to apply.You will need to specify in the application form:
The card will be ready and sent to your mailing address within three weeks.
You must provide the documents listed below:
The number indicated on the invoice must be shown on the notice/statement of charges. No screenshots of documents will be accepted!
When bank details are correct and the reimbursement has been transferred to the correct account, it is unnecessary to specify bank details each time you apply. Once the individual has indicated his or her bank details, they are kept by the CNS.
If the residence address has been changed drastically the CNS must be notified about it. But if the person moves within Luxembourg, there is no need to inform the company.
You can do this by post. You must send the originals of all documents for medical services provided by the doctor or other expenses by mail to the CNS.
Address:
CNS – Service Remboursements nationaux
L-2980 Luxembourg
Tél. (+352) 2757 — 4260
The refund will come within three weeks. The money will be transferred to your bank account and you will receive a notice in the mail.
A stamp is not necessary for mailing to CNS from Luxembourg. But, if you send it by registered mail, you will have to pay.
If you received medical care outside of Luxembourg, the refund is considered in each individual case. The CNS will only start the reimbursement process after it has received notification from the country where the medical care was provided.
Social aid is available to the unemployed and low-income residents of Luxembourg. If the resident does not have insurance, the Social Welfare Office takes care of the expenses related to disability, illness, medical intervention, age-related illnesses, or hospitalization. In order to receive the allowance, you have to contact the local Social Security Administration in your commune.
Most of the time, you have to be present in person. But in exceptional cases, you can ask for assistance by phone.
You have to visit the local social services office in your commune and make a verbal request for assistance. The application can be submitted in paper form or sent to an e-mail address.
This method can be used due to limited mobility or specific personal circumstances of the applicant. The Welfare Officer will invite the applicant to the office or will come to the applicant's home to process the application.
In order to process their application, you must provide all the documents required. The Social Security Administration will tell you which ones.
The Social Security Administration will conduct a background check to get a complete picture of the situation. The verifications are conducted to assess the applicant's situation and suggest possible improvements.
All the results of the social security check, the information provided by the applicant, and all documents are kept in an individual social security file in the applicant's name.
When all documents are available, Social Security proceeds with the application. Records are made in the application register and sent to the administrative board of the Social Security Administration for further review.
A decision on social assistance will be made within 25 working days from the date of application.
Each decision is either delivered to the applicant by mail or delivered in person. A receipt must be signed by the applicant when delivered in person.
In urgent cases, the decision is made immediately, depending on the applicant's situation. A social audit may be conducted later.
The Social Security Administration can request a refund if the recipient has funds that were not accounted for as part of the check. Likewise, if the applicant's financial situation has improved over time.
Additional private health insurance is used to cover costs that are not included in public health insurance.
A private insurance policy covers costly medical expenses like:
It is a good option in case of unforeseen medical expenses in a foreign country or in case of emergency hospitalization.
The insurance company enters a contract with a medical facility and includes certain types of care in it.
If you need services that are not covered by the agreement, you will have to pay for them yourself and then ask your insurance company for reimbursement.
You can consult a gynecologist under the public health insurance program.
Most of the costs associated with pregnancy, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care are covered by state health insurance.
Home deliveries are not covered by state health insurance.
Women in their 50s and 70s can be examined for breast cancer with the national screening program.
The ambulance phone number is 112.
Treatment is free, even if you do not have insurance.
Not all hospitals in Luxembourg have emergency services. Therefore, there is a special schedule for how hospitals work during off-hours. You can check the schedule at pharmacies, local newspapers, doctors' offices, and hospitals.