Beneficiaries of the Increased Intervention BIM (formerly VIPO)

Which benefits?

The intervention of the compulsory health care insurance is set at 75% by the calculation table of the INAMI (National Institute of Health and Disability Insurance). With the preferential treatment, some categories of insured persons can benefit from an increased refund of the health care insurance:

• Higher refund of provided health care and medicines (between 85% and 90%).

• Lower personal share for patients in case of hospitalization.

It is good to know that the individual status entitling him to increased refund of health care can also entitle him to other social benefits (such as a special tariffs, discounts or exemptions) taking into account the specific conditions of granting.

Other benefits

•    social rates for phoning with Belgacom operator ;

•    social rates for phoning with mobile phones with Mobistar, Proximus and Base operators ;

•    social rates for gas and electricity;

•    tax exemption for radio and television royalties in the Walloon region;

•    regional tax exemption in the region of Brussels-Capital;

•    discount rates with some cable television companies;

•    discounts with public transport networks such as SNCB, STIB, TEC and De Lijn.

Some CPAS (Public Centres for Social Action) also grant a heating allowance in the context of the “Social Fund for Oil " and some discounts on other services. Some communes offer benefits such as free garbage bags or tax reductions on filth.

For whom?

a) with income survey

Widows and their dependents;

Pensioners and their dependents;

Disabled people and their dependents;

Orphans of father and mother and their dependents;

Beneficiaries of increased family allowances and their dependents or beneficiaries who are themselves dependents;

Disabled recognized-holders and their dependents;

Unemployed people for over 12 months and aged of 50 years-old or more and their dependents

Individuals enrolled in the National Register over 65 years (formerly unprotected persons) and their dependents;

Servicemen placed in temporary withdrawal of employment for health reasons, for over a year.

b) without income survey

Beneficiaries of the income for social integration and their dependents or beneficiaries who are themselves dependents;

Beneficiaries of full or partial social assistance supported by the Federal Government and their dependents or beneficiaries who are themselves dependents;

Beneficiaries of guaranteed income to seniors (GRAPA) and their dependents or beneficiaries who are themselves dependents;

Beneficiaries of a disability allowance and their dependents or beneficiaries who are themselves dependents;

The health care insurance automatically grants disabled children suffering from physical or mental incapacity of at least 66% or 4 points in the first criterion a preferential treatment. This measure comes into force retroactively on January 1st, 2008.

How to benefit from the preferential treatment?

The increased intervention is not automatically granted. The individual shall contact his health care insurance and prove he meets the requirements for it.

•    The person must sign, if applicable, a sworn statement (the model document was published in the Moniteur Belge dated 1/05/97) and provide a proof of his income and the income of members composing his household in his latest tax form.

•    The pensioners or beneficiaries justify their incomes by using the stub of summons or the most recent proof of payment of any pension, annuity or granted allowances.

•    The income ceiling (on 01/09/2011) is € 15.782,42 gross per year, plus € 2.921,74 per dependent person.

For additional information, please contact the social service of your health care insurance or the body providing the desired social benefit.