The Flemish Health & Care Agency covers costs related to nonmedical care and services (medico-social services, home or residential care).
Affiliation to a healthcare fund is mandatory for all residents aged 25 years or older who are listed on the (foreign) population register of any commune of the Flemish Region.
Affiliation is done on a voluntary basis for anyone residing in the Brussels-Capital region.
Important changes occurred since the Flemish Decree of 30 April 2009 with regard to the target group of the Flemish Health & Care Agency. The following modifications were made to the residence requirements:
- Non-UE/EEE and Swiss students, researchers and their family members, who are authorised to temporarily stay in Belgium cannot join the Agency. This exclusion applies as from 1 January 2009.
- Cross- border workers coming from an EU or EEA member country, or from Switzerland, residing in a Belgian French or German speaking region but working in Flanders or in Brussels and for whom the Belgian social security system applies must (or can if they work in Brussels) be affiliated. This rule applies as from the 1 January 2010.
- Specific rules apply to cross-border workers, EU nationals, international institutions and Belgian soldiers staying abroad.
- Persons depending from family members who do not reside in Flanders or in Brussels but have the possibility or the obligation to join can or must be affiliated provided that they cannot benefit from a similar service where they live.
