RMOB for Independent Health Insurance Funds in Brussels
Thanks to the Regional Society for Mutual Assistance (RMOB), people living in Brussels get access to benefits in this area, such as reimbursements for stop-smoking support or certain aids.
The RMOB was set up after the sixth state reform in Belgium to take over powers that shifted from federal level to the federated entities, such as health and assistance to persons.
What does the RMOB do in Brussels?
Like every region in Belgium, the Brussels-Capital Region has its own RMOB, a Regional Society for Mutual Assistance. The RMOB is responsible for health and assistance to persons for people living in Brussels.
Contributions
Mobility aids
Do you live in Brussels? Then you can turn to Iriscare for a contribution towards the purchase of your mobility aid.
Your treating doctor writes a medical prescription for a wheelchair or other mobility aid.
Give the medical prescription (and, if required, the multidisciplinary functioning report) to the orthopaedic technologist. He or she will propose a suitable type of mobility aid and send the necessary documents to the Brussels insurance body.
The medical adviser of the Brussels insurance body reviews the application and takes a decision. The Brussels insurance body communicates the decision to you and to your orthopaedic technologist for mobility aids.
If your application has been approved, the orthopaedic technologist will order and deliver your mobility aid.
Stop-smoking support
Are you thinking about giving up smoking? The RMOB's reimbursement for support from a tobacco specialist or for stop-smoking aids gives you an extra push in the right direction.
Individual aids
Since 1 January 2024, people living in Brussels can apply for individual material assistance through their health insurance fund or the Auxiliary Fund for Sickness and Invalidity Insurance (HZIV). Previously, this went through the PHARE service (Personne Handicapée Autonomie Recherchée). The PHARE service remains responsible for other forms of support, such as authorisations, employment support, access to sheltered workshops, day activity centres and collective adapted housing.
What does individual material assistance mean?
Individual material assistance, or IMB, is a financial contribution towards the purchase of material aids that help people with a disability in their daily lives. Think of braille displays, a hospital bed, reimbursement for home improvements or specific equipment that makes it easier for people with a disability to live independently.
The contributions applied for must help the person become more independent. They are granted on condition that they meet the rules laid down in the nomenclature.
How do you submit an application?
If your disability occurs before you turn 65, you can submit your application for individual material assistance to your health insurance fund. You will then receive all the practical information, such as the application forms to be completed. Our social services can guide you through these steps.
What if you already receive individual material assistance?
Do you already receive individual material assistance via the PHARE service? Then you can give this service permission to transfer your file to your health insurance fund using an application form. This activation procedure takes place at your first contact with your health insurance fund.
When can you turn to the VAPH?
As a resident of Brussels, you can also choose to submit your application to the Flemish Agency for Persons with a Disability (VAPH).
The VAPH contributes towards:
- the cost of material aids and home adaptations
- orientation and mobility techniques
- incontinence products
- educational support for higher education in Brussels
You will find the forms and more information about the procedure on the Iriscare Brussels website.
Administrative and financial role
The RMOB plays a financial and administrative role for Brussels care institutions that fall under the region's responsibility. It grants, manages and checks the contributions awarded by Iriscare.
Who are the RMOB's partners?
The Common Community Commission (GGC)
In Brussels, the GGC is the policymaker for health and assistance to persons. It sets the framework within which Iriscare and the RMOBs operate.
- The GGC lays down the care and welfare rules for Brussels.
- It determines which forms of care are recognised and subsidised.
- Iriscare and the RMOBs put that policy into practice.
Iriscare
The RMOB's main partner is Iriscare, the Brussels public body responsible for health and assistance to persons.
- Iriscare funds and supervises the RMOBs in Brussels. It also sets the rules, amounts and recognition conditions for the contributions (such as aids or stop-smoking support).
- The RMOBs put these rules into practice and pay out the contributions to people living in Brussels.
The health insurance funds
There are several RMOBs in Brussels, each linked to an umbrella organisation or national association of health insurance funds. Helan and Partenamut are linked to the RMOB of the Independent Health Insurance Funds.
- The health insurance funds handle contact with their customers: they receive applications, help complete files and send the necessary documents to the RMOB.
- The RMOB itself is a legally separate entity, but in practice the work is usually done through the health insurance funds (such as Helan).
Recognised care and aid providers
The RMOB also works with:
- Recognised tobacco specialists and doctors (for the contribution towards stop-smoking support).
- Bandage suppliers, orthopaedic specialists and suppliers of aids (for the reimbursement of mobility aids and technical aids).
- Care institutions such as residential care centres, day care centres, psychiatric care centres, sheltered housing initiatives and multidisciplinary palliative care teams.
These partners deliver the care and often submit the files to the RMOB themselves.
Practical questions and answers
In Brussels, joining the Flemish Social Protection scheme is not mandatory. If two contributions remain unpaid or are only partially paid, the affiliation of Brussels residents is automatically stopped to avoid a fine. If you decide to rejoin at a later stage, a waiting period of five years will apply. You can find more information here.
If you live in the Brussels-Capital Region, you cannot apply for a care budget for older people with care needs in Flanders. In that case, please contact Iriscare, the Allowance for Assistance to the Elderly (THAB) service, via www.myIriscare.brussels or call 0800 35 499.
For residents of Brussels, the same conditions apply for the care budget for people with a disability. The difference compared to Flanders is that, as a Brussels resident, you are not required to join a care fund. But to receive a care budget, you do need to join one.
A child under the age of 18 is only eligible if one of the parents is affiliated with a care fund, and provided the care contribution has been paid.
A waiting period applies for residents of Brussels. If you are entitled to the care budget for people with a disability but did not join a care fund in time, you must have been continuously affiliated for 5 years before you can receive this care budget. This waiting period does not apply to people under the age of 26.
If you live in Flanders and move to Brussels, you must submit an application for the allowance for assistance to the elderly to Iriscare within three months. You can submit your application in the month of your move.
If you live in Flanders and move to Wallonia, you must submit an application for the allowance for assistance to the elderly to the Walloon Société mutualiste régionale (SMR) within three months. Please contact Helan Care Fund for this.
The same applies in reverse. Do you live in Brussels or Wallonia, receive the allowance for assistance to the elderly and move to Flanders? In that case, you must apply for the care budget for older people with care needs within three months to avoid losing your allowance.
No, the Flemish care fund and the RMOB resemble each other because both provide contributions within the powers of the federated entities, but they operate in different regions and have different remits.
The Flemish care fund
The Flemish care fund falls under the responsibility of the Flemish government. Everyone over the age of 25 who lives in Flanders is required to pay the care premium. The Flemish care fund collects the care premium and pays out care budgets to people who need long-term care. Dutch-speaking residents of Brussels can choose to contribute to the Flemish care premium, but they are not obliged to do so.
The RMOB
The RMOB is the Brussels equivalent for welfare and care, mainly providing contributions towards aids and health support.
Still have another question?
You can contact us with any other questions too. Would you like to know more about the Regional Societies for Mutual Assistance (RMOB)? Our experts will be happy to help you.