Disability benefits often misused

"Health insurance physicians are often too easily swayed by patients who pretend to be disabled," says Rufij Baeke of the Syndicate of General Practitioners. His comment comes in response to the same conclusion of Unizo topman Karel Van Eetvelt, who advocates a stricter approach to long-term disability benefits. "There are people who pretend to be sick because they no longer can - or want - to work. And doctors hired by the health insurance companies to carry out checks on these people can not accurately judge their true ability to work. That costs the state a lot of money," says Baeke. He suggests that health insurance physicians contact the GPs for advice because they likely know their patients best.