Search

Going abroad for medical treatment


Do you want to travel to a country other than your country of residence or the Netherlands, specifically for medical treatment? In that case, first consult the health insurer in your country of residence. Then you will know whether the treatment will be reimbursed or if you will have to pay some or all of the costs yourself.

Good to know

You are only eligible for reimbursement of the treatment if:

  • you yourself live in an EU/EEA Member State, the United Kingdom or Switzerland;
  • you are receiving the medical treatment in an EU/EEA Member State, the United Kingdom or Switzerland; and
  • you are insured through the CAK.

How it works

Contact your health insurer

Check in advance with the health insurer you are registered with in your country of residence. This insurer will forward your application to us.

The CAK assesses your application

We will check whether your treatment meets a number of conditions:

  • the treatment forms part of the statutory care package in your country of residence;
  • you cannot receive the treatment in time in your country of residence; and
  • the treatment forms part of the statutory care package in the country you are travelling to for the treatment;

We will pay the costs of your treatment to the country where you receive the treatment. The treatment must therefore form part of the statutory care package in the country you are travelling to.

We will inform you by letter what will and will not be reimbursed.

Tip

In some countries, your health insurance fund will decide on your application. In that case, your health insurance fund will notify you. This applies if you live in the Greek part of Cyprus or in Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom or Norway.

Without authorisation

Are you travelling abroad for medical treatment without consultation or authorisation? In that case, you run the risk of not being reimbursed, or of only being partially reimbursed. You can claim the costs from us afterwards.

We will then check whether you are entitled to reimbursement of your costs according to the rules of the Dutch basic package (Dutch rate).

Please note

If you travel to Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you must always obtain prior authorisation for medical treatment. Are you travelling without authorisation? In that case, you will not be able to claim any costs from us afterwards.

Report to the doctor or hospital abroad

Have we reviewed your treatment in advance and do you qualify for reimbursement of the costs? In that case, you will receive an S2 document from us. Show this document to the doctor or hospital abroad. This way, they know that they can settle the costs of your treatment with the local health insurer.

Claiming costs

If you have discussed your treatment in advance, you will know what will and will not be reimbursed. We pay the agreed costs to the country where you were treated. It is possible that you still have to pay some costs yourself to the healthcare provider abroad. You can claim these costs back from us. Even if you did not discuss the treatment in advance.

To do so, complete the ‘Declaration form for medical costs in Europe (pdf, 325 kB)’ (PDF, 325 kB). Include the following documents with the form:

  • original invoices
  • payment receipts
  • referral letters
  • doctors’ prescriptions and/or instructions
  • treatment report

Rates

We will check whether you are entitled to reimbursement of your costs according to the rules of the Dutch basic package (Dutch rate).

Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Are you travelling to Switzerland or the United Kingdom for medical treatment? And you did not obtain prior authorisation? In that case, you will not be able to claim any costs afterwards.

Please note

  • Any costs you incurred in your country of residence must be claimed from your health insurer in your country of residence.

  • Costs incurred in the Netherlands must be claimed from Zilveren Kruis, Groep Buitenlands Recht (Foreign Law Unit).