ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the origins of mutual health insurance in Belgium, the incorporation of mutual schemes within the state scheme, the challenges now facing this scheme and the way in which the unique characteristics of the scheme are shaping its responses to these challenges. Modern Belgian health insurance, which is part of the social security system, has experienced problems as a result of rising medical costs, greater demand for medical care and the steadily increasing number of elderly people. The chapter discusses the way in which Belgian citizens took care of the risks involving sickness and old age, and the reaction of their government in the form of regulations and laws. In 1944, a national government comprised of all the major parties succeeded in realizing a compulsory social insurance system to lessen misery as a result of accident or sickness for as much working men and women as possible.
