How to get your healthcare costs reimbursed in Luxembourg
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We've prepared the shortcut for you.
How the CNS works in practice
The Caisse nationale de santé is the public body managing health and maternity insurance in Luxembourg. As soon as you work in the Grand Duchy, you're automatically enrolled through contributions deducted from your salary by the Centre commun de la sécurité sociale (CCSS). Your spouse and children can be co-insured at no extra cost.
Reimbursement rates depend on the type of care and the patient's age. In 2026, the key benchmarks are: medical consultations (office visits) at 88% for adults and 100% for under-18s, prescription medication between 40% (moderate interest), 80% (standard rate) and 100% (vital interest) depending on the drug's classification, psychotherapy (with prescription) at 70% for adults and 100% for under-18s, hospitalisation with near-full coverage of stay costs excluding private rooms.
A crucial point many newcomers discover too late: these rates apply to the official tariff set by the CNS nomenclature, not to the total amount your doctor may charge. Some practitioners bill a "personal convenience" supplement (codes CP1–CP7). These overruns are never reimbursed by the CNS.
For example, a general consultation (code C1) has an official CNS rate of €59.50 (nomenclature in force, 2025). The CNS reimburses 88%, i.e. €52.36. Your co-payment is €7.14. If your doctor adds a CP supplement of €20, your bill rises to €79.50, but you still only get €52.36 back.
To look up the exact rate for any medical act, the CNS provides a search tool by code (ouvre dans un nouvel onglet) on its website.
3 ways to get reimbursed
Luxembourg's system is in the middle of a digital transition. Today you have three options to recover the CNS share of your medical costs.
PID: you only pay your share
The Paiement immédiat direct is the big change of recent years. When you visit a PID-equipped doctor, you only pay your co-payment (12% for a standard consultation). The CNS transfers its share directly to the doctor via instant bank transfer, in seconds.
PID launched as a pilot in September 2023, then rolled out to all doctors and dentists in March 2024. By September 2025, it already covered around 70% of medical acts, with over 1,300 doctors using it each week (source: CNS, March 2026).
In practice, you don't need to do anything special. Simply ask your doctor if they offer PID. If so, you pay your share on the spot and you're done. The doctor gives you a PID receipt that serves as your invoice.
Digital reimbursement via GesondheetsApp
If your doctor doesn't offer PID, they can still transmit your fee statement digitally through their medical software. You'll find the invoice directly in the CNS GesondheetsApp (ouvre dans un nouvel onglet) on your smartphone. One click on "Send" and your reimbursement request goes to the CNS. Processing is generally faster than by mail: expect 1 to 2 weeks.
To use the GesondheetsApp, you need to have activated your e-health account (DSP).
Traditional reimbursement by mail
The paper route is still available. You pay your bill at the doctor's and collect the receipted fee statement. You attach proof of payment and send everything by post to: CNS - Service Remboursements - L-2980 Luxembourg. No stamp needed if posting from Luxembourg.
Timelines depend on complexity: about 1 week for simple invoices, 2–4 weeks for standard cases, and up to 8 weeks for complex cases.
For immediate reimbursement, visit a CNS agency (ouvre dans un nouvel onglet) in person (by appointment via MyGuichet.lu). Minimum €100 per household, invoices paid less than 15 days ago.
Important: you have 2 years from the date of payment to submit your reimbursement request.
CNS supplementary reimbursement: the safety net people forget
If your cumulative co-payments over a calendar year exceed 2.5% of your annual insurable income from the previous year, you can ask the CNS to reimburse the excess (article 154bis).
For 2025, the minimum threshold is €509.68. Submit your request online on the CNS website (ouvre dans un nouvel onglet) from 1 May of the current year, no later than the end of the second following year.
This is especially useful after a year with heavy medical expenses. Your co-insured family members' co-payments count towards the total.
Complementary health insurance: covering the rest
The CNS provides solid coverage, but there's always a portion left to pay. Complementary health insurance covers the co-payment (your 12%), fee overruns, and services poorly covered by the CNS: dental prosthetics, orthodontics, optical, alternative medicine, private hospital rooms.
Concrete example: PID consultation at your GP, rate €59.50, you pay €7.14 on the spot. Your complementary insurer reimburses the €7.14. Result: zero out-of-pocket cost.
For your tax return: complementary health insurance premiums are deductible under article 111 LIR, up to €672 per person in your tax household (children included). This ceiling is shared with other eligible insurance premiums and consumer loan interest (2026 figures).
Getting treated abroad
If you fall ill during a stay in an EU, EEA country or Switzerland, your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to care under the host country's rules. Request your EHIC from the CNS website (ouvre dans un nouvel onglet) or via MyGuichet.lu.
The EHIC only covers "medically necessary" care. For planned care abroad, you may need prior authorisation from the CNS (form S2).
For care outside the EU/EEA, coverage is much more limited. Reimbursement takes at least 6 to 8 weeks.
Cross-border workers can generally get treated in their country of residence or in Luxembourg, with varying arrangements.
Heading far away? We cover it all in preparing your first trip outside Europe.
Frequently asked questions
With PID, the CNS share is transferred in seconds. For digital or postal reimbursement, 1 to 8 weeks depending on complexity.
A system where you only pay your co-payment at the doctor's. The CNS pays its share directly to the practitioner via instant transfer. It's been the majority method since 2024.
Yes, under article 111 LIR, up to €672 per person per year (2026 figures). File your tax return (model 100) with your insurer's tax certificate.
Check the CNS supplementary reimbursement. If your co-payments exceed 2.5% of your insurable income (minimum €509.68 for 2025), request reimbursement via the CNS form (ouvre dans un nouvel onglet).
You can get treated in Luxembourg or your country of residence. Your local fund handles home-country care (CPAM in France, mutualité in Belgium, Krankenkasse in Germany). PID works the same for you as for residents.