
Payments and invoices
Receipt and payment of your invoice
Receipt and payment of your invoiceThe invoice will either be sent by post to your home address or sent to you electronically by e-mail (if we have your e-mail address on record). You will typically receive your invoice within seven weeks after the end of the month in which you were discharged from the hospital. This is only the case if your medical record can be fully finalised.
You must pay your invoice within 30 days from the date it was sent. If your invoice has not been paid within that period, a conventional compensation of 10%, with a minimum of €25.00, is legally due without notice of default. In addition, interest will be owed starting from the due date at a rate made up of the legal interest rate plus 2%.
Down payments are never requested (exception: aesthetic procedures; patients who are not registered with a Belgian health insurance fund).
Explanation of your invoice
Explanation of your invoiceAfter your stay, you will receive your hospital invoice. The form of this document and the information it contains are entirely determined by the government.
On the first page of your invoice, you will find a summary of all costs. Your mandatory health insurance pays a large part of your costs directly to the hospital. This amount is also communicated for your information on this first sheet, at the bottom of the summary. There are three columns:
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
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This contains the amounts paid by the mandatory health insurance. | These are the statutory payments to be paid by the patient such as copayments: fixed, pre-determined amounts for fees or medicines that are to be reimbursed. | Here you will find the costs for room supplements, non-reimbursed medicines, fees and additional costs. |
The costs mentioned in columns 2 and 3 are charged to the patient. At the end of the invoice you will find the 'balance to be paid by the patient' and the account number to which you can transfer the amount.
Your invoice is further detailed into the following sections:
1. Accommodation costs | These are the costs for your stay in the hospital: room usage, meals, nursing. If you opted for a single room, the room supplement will also be listed in this section. |
2. Flat rate costs | Part of the costs will consist of a fixed amount (lump sum), even if you have not used those services. |
3. Pharmacy costs | These are the costs charged by the hospital pharmacy, for example for medication, medical devices and implants. In addition to copayments and supplements, statutory delivery fees can also be charged. |
4. Fees | The fees for physicians, dentists, physiotherapists and midwives. |
5. Other supplied goods | Costs for, among other things, plaster casts and blood products. |
6. Patient transport | Transport costs, urgent or non-urgent, incurred by the hospital. |
7. Miscellaneous costs | During your stay in the hospital, a number of products and services will be made available to you to improve the quality of your stay, such as TV, internet, soap, water, fridge... A flat rate of €8 per day will be charged for this. These non-medical costs are entirely at the expense of the patient and are not reimbursed by the mandatory health insurance scheme. An overview of these costs can be found at the bottom of this page. |
8. VAT | If applicable, you pay VAT on aesthetic operations such as breast augmentation. VAT is also calculated based on the flat-rate accommodations fee and for meals for rooming-in, if applicable. |
Doctors’ status regarding the health insurance fund
Doctors’ status regarding the health insurance fundWould you like to know what your physician's status regarding the health insurance fund is? You can find this information on your physician's contact page.
Every two years, the government, physicians' associations and health insurance funds conclude a convention (or agreement) on official physicians’ fees. Since the profession of medical physician is a liberal profession, any physician can choose whether or not to accept this convention.
There are three types of status: physicians who are fully covered by agreement with the health insurance fund, physicians who are not covered by agreement with the health insurance fund and physicians who are partially covered by agreement with the health insurance fund.
Physicians fully covered by agreement with the health insurance fund (C) |
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These physicians apply the contractual fee. After reimbursement from the health insurance fund, you only pay your personal share (or copayment). |
Physicians not covered by agreement with the health insurance fund (NC) |
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These physicians set their own rates (or fees). After reimbursement from the health insurance fund, you pay your personal share (or copayment) and possibly a fee supplement. |
Physicians partially covered by agreement with the health insurance fund (P) |
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These physicians only apply the contractual rate on certain days and times. On other days and at other times they are free to set their own rates (or fees). |
The letters C, NC and P on your invoice stand for 'fully covered by agreement with the health insurance fund', 'not covered by agreement with the health insurance fund' and 'partially covered by agreement with the health insurance fund' respectively.
Price of your room and fee supplements
Price of your room and fee supplementsThe cost of the room per day is paid by the RIZIV (National Institute for Sickness and Disability Insurance). The patient pays the copayment and additional surcharges. You also pay part of the contractual fee (statutory amount). This depends on your mandatory health insurance and hospitalisation insurance.
If you are staying in a single room, the physician may charge a fee supplement. The fee (or honorarium) is the fee charged by physicians, dentists, physiotherapists, midwives or speech therapists for their services.
Your choice of room does not affect the quality of care or treatment. The difference only has to do with more comfort and greater privacy.
- These fee supplements apply for your attending physician as well as for other physicians involved in your operation or treatment.
- Mandatory health insurance does not contribute to the cost of these fee supplements. Depending on your insurance policy, your hospitalisation
insurance will cover (part of) these fee supplements. - The maximum fee supplement in our hospital is 0% in a patient room with two or more patient beds and 150% in a single or luxury room.
Maximum fee supplement | Patient room with two or more patient beds | Single room |
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Physician who is fully covered by agreement with the health insurance fund* | 0% | 150% |
Physician who is not covered by agreement with the health insurance fund* | 0% | 150% |
Patient’s social status** | 0% | 150% |
(*) You can find more about the physician's status further up.
(**) Your social status is communicated by your mandatory health insurance, e.g. chronically sick, long-term unemployed older than 50 years...
Cost estimate
Cost estimateRooming-in
Rooming-inIf a family member or loved one is admitted to our hospital, you may indicate that you want to accompany them during their hospital stay. The hospital offers you the option of overnighting in the following situations:
- you are a parent or family member of a child that is admitted to the Paediatrics Ward
- you are the partner of a mother who is admitted to the Maternity Unit
- you are the partner of a baby who is admitted to the Neonatal Unit
- you are a caregiver
Chairs are available that fold out into beds. For personal hygiene, the bathroom associated with the patient’s room can be used at the Paediatrics Ward. Other wards have separate shower facilities. Ask a nurse for the details on this.
This hotel service carries a number of charges:
- staying in the patient’s room: €12.50
- staying in a separate patient room: €85.00
Any additional drinks, meals or gifts are billed to the room. Refer to the document below for an indication of prices.

List of the most requested products and services at Maria Middelares General Hospital
DownloadContact for questions about your invoice
Contact for questions about your invoice
Tel. +32 9 246 20 20
E-mail: facturatie@azmmsj.be
Pease contact the Invoicing Department with any questions you may have about your invoice. The department can be reached by telephone Monday to Friday during office hours (8.00am - 12.00pm noon and 1.00pm - 5.00pm).
Click this link for more information about paying your invoice.