Hospitalisation insurance premiums to go up

The rates for hospitalisation insurance in Belgium will go up from next year, according to De Tijd. Private insurers and health insurance funds are expected to adjust their premiums in response to rising healthcare costs and increasingly costly hospital stays. Since 2012, insurers have only been able to raise their premiums on an exceptional basis.

De Tijd refers to the draft of a new royal decree in the hands of economy minister Kris Peeters (CD&V), who intends to publish the decree by November so it can enter into force on 1 January, 2016.

Market leader in private insurances DKV has already implemented several substantial rate increases this year. Without a general price adjustment across the sector, the other providers of hospitalisation insurance risk not being able to cover their costs.

The future price increases would be based on a medical index, taking into account the actual cost of a hospitalisation period, which has gone up in recent years by about 3-4% a year.