Belgium to End Homeopathy and Acupuncture Reimbursement
Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) has proposed a sweeping reform of the country’s sickness fund system that would end the reimbursement of homeopathy and acupuncture. The proposal, presented to coalition partners and sickness funds on May 19, 2026, requires mutualities to demonstrate that supplementary benefits are directly linked to health or well-being goals — a threshold that alternative therapies are unlikely to meet.
According to VRT NWS, the reform is part of a broader “hervormingspact” (reform pact) that Vandenbroucke wants to establish with Belgium’s five main sickness funds: the Christian Mutualiteit (CM), Socialistische Mutualiteit (Solidaris), Liberale Mutualiteit, Neutrale Ziekenfondsen, and the Hulpkas voor Ziekte- en Invaliditeitsverzekering (HZIV).
Evidence-Based Medicine Takes Center Stage
The minister’s rationale is straightforward. “There is no evidence that this really heals,” Vandenbroucke said of homeopathy, as reported by HLN. “People may still buy it, of course.” The statement reflects a broader push to align Belgium’s healthcare spending with scientific evidence, a debate that has simmered for years as homeopathy — widely regarded by the scientific community as no more effective than placebo — has remained partially reimbursed by most mutualities.
The Christian Mutualiteit (CM) already stopped reimbursing homeopathic remedies in 2019, setting a precedent that Vandenbroucke now seeks to make universal. Acupuncture, which has mixed scientific evidence depending on the condition treated, would also lose its reimbursement status under the new rules.
A Reform Broader Than Alternative Medicine
While the headline-grabbing element involves homeopathy and acupuncture, Vandenbroucke’s proposal is far more comprehensive. As De Morgen reports, the reform package includes:
- Limits on commercial investments: Sickness funds would no longer be allowed to take equity stakes in commercial enterprises.
- Caps on excess profits: Any profits above a specified solvency ratio would need to be returned to members through lower premiums or reinvested in health initiatives.
- Mandatory digitalization: Funds must accelerate their digital transformation, including reducing the billing period for healthcare services from two years to six months.
- Consolidation: By July 1, 2028, only one sickness fund per region would be permitted, forcing provincial funds to merge.
Vandenbroucke insists the proposal is not a cost-cutting exercise. “It is not a savings proposal, but a reform aimed at doing better in terms of efficiency, transparency, and solidarity,” he told De Morgen. “I certainly do not want an American model where you only have private insurers who want to make as much profit as possible.”
Political Context and Negotiations
The reform arrives amid intense political pressure on Belgium’s sickness funds. The N-VA, the Flemish nationalist party and the largest coalition partner, has been heavily critical of the mutualities, particularly regarding their management of long-term sick leave. An April 2026 report revealed that up to 60% of checked long-term sick cases may have been wrongly declared unfit for work, intensifying calls for reform.
Vandenbroucke’s proposal can be seen as a preemptive move — addressing N-VA concerns while preserving the pillarized social security system that has defined Belgian healthcare for decades. The minister emphasized that the proposal is “not take it or leave it,” signaling that negotiations with coalition partners and the sickness funds are still to come.
Luc Van Gorp, chair of the National Intermutualist College and the CM, responded cautiously. “It concerns complex dossiers that deserve a thorough, serene, and objective debate,” he said. The mutualities warned that some proposals could hinder their operations and service to members, while insisting they will remain independent member organizations.
Implications for Patients and the Healthcare System
For patients who rely on homeopathy or acupuncture reimbursements, the change would mean paying out-of-pocket or seeking alternative coverage. However, the broader implications extend well beyond alternative medicine. If implemented, the reform would represent a significant shift toward evidence-based criteria for supplementary health benefits, potentially setting a precedent for evaluating other benefits such as youth camps or ski holidays.
The proposal also positions Vandenbroucke and Vooruit as reformers within the coalition government, potentially deflecting further N-VA criticism while maintaining the social security framework. With Belgium needing to find €7 billion by 2029 to meet EU spending norms, the pressure to streamline healthcare spending is unlikely to diminish.
What’s Next
Negotiations are expected to intensify in the coming weeks. The proposal has been submitted to coalition partners and presented to the sickness funds, but no timeline for implementation has been set. The specific mention of homeopathy and acupuncture may be modified during negotiations, but the direction of travel is clear: Belgium’s sickness funds are being asked to justify every euro they spend, and treatments without scientific evidence are first in line for cuts.
As Vandenbroucke put it: “We face such a big challenge in our healthcare that we must think very carefully about our priorities.”