Luxembourg (LU)
Luxembourg is a tiny but remarkably prosperous constitutional monarchy at the heart of Europe — a founding member of both the EU and NATO — celebrated as the world's most productive economy per capita, the EU's premier financial centre, and home to the highest minimum wage on the continent.
Healthcare in Luxembourg
Luxembourg operates a Bismarck-model (social insurance / multi-payer) healthcare system. The CNS (Caisse Nationale de Santé) is the mandatory public health insurer covering all employed and resident persons. The CNS reimburses approximately 80% of approved medical costs for most services, with patients paying the remaining 20% co-payment (ticket modérateur). A strong market for supplementary private insurance (mutuelle) covers the gap. Luxembourg consistently ranks in the top tier of European healthcare systems for quality, access, and facilities. The system is financed through employer and employee social contributions (3.05% each). Healthcare in Luxembourg is high quality but not as universally free as Denmark's or the UK's NHS — the 20% co-payment applies across most services.
Top 5 in Europe (Euro Health Consumer Index). Excellent specialist care, very modern facilities, short waiting times.
Public healthcare: CNS — Caisse Nationale de Santé
National Health Fund
- GP (médecin généraliste) consultations — 80% reimbursed
- Specialist consultations after GP referral — 80% reimbursed
- Hospital treatment (inpatient and outpatient) — 80% or higher depending on ward
- Approved medications — 40%, 80%, or 100% reimbursed depending on category
- Maternity care — 100% reimbursed
- Physiotherapy — partially reimbursed (number of sessions limited)
- Dental care — basic: 80% reimbursed for fillings, extractions; orthodontics for children covered
- Mental health (psychiatry) — outpatient reimbursed at 80%; inpatient covered
- Preventive health — check-ups, vaccinations
- Laboratory tests — 80% reimbursed
- Ambulance transport — partially covered
- Cosmetic procedures not medically indicated
- Over-the-counter medications without prescription
- Alternative medicine not recognised (acupuncture, homeopathy)
- Private room (chambre individuelle) supplement in hospital
- Dental care beyond the basic approved scale (complex prosthetics, implants)
- Glasses/contact lenses (only partially for children)
- Long-term care (covered separately by assurance dépendance)
Private healthcare: Mutuelle / Supplementary private health insurance
Accessing care
Luxembourg does not have a strict GP gatekeeper system — you can go directly to a specialist without a GP referral, though CNS reimbursement rates are the same either way. A médecin généraliste (GP) is still the recommended first contact for non-emergency health issues. You choose your GP freely — no assigned GP as in Denmark. Search for a CNS-conventionné (contracted) doctor at cns.lu for maximum reimbursement.
You can see most specialists directly without a GP referral in Luxembourg, which is a significant difference from the UK NHS or Danish system. Your GP can refer you if needed (referral letter helps communication between doctors). CNS reimburses the same rate regardless of whether you had a referral for most specialties. Waiting times for specialists are generally much shorter than in many EU countries — typically 1–4 weeks for non-urgent appointments.
112 for life-threatening emergencies. Emergency hospital care (urgences) at Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), Hôpitaux Robert Schuman, or other hospitals. For urgent but non-life-threatening cases: SOS Médecins Luxembourg provides home visits and urgent consultations (+352 46 05 05). All hospitals have 24h emergency departments.
SOS Médecins Luxembourg: +352 46 05 05 — provides urgent medical visits at home and urgent consultations outside normal hours. Hôpital service des urgences (emergency departments) for hospital-level care. Many pharmacies operate a duty (garde) system — the rotating pharmacy on call is posted on pharmacy doors and available at cns.lu. Dental emergencies: contact your dentist's answering service or CHL dental department.
Prescriptions are issued on paper (ordonnance) by your doctor and taken to any pharmacy (pharmacie). Medications are categorised as 100%, 80%, or 40% reimbursed by CNS, or non-reimbursed. Your CNS card is required at the pharmacy. The pharmacist can advise on whether substitution with a generic (médicament générique) is appropriate and available.
Unlike Denmark, Luxembourg does cover basic adult dental care through the CNS: basic fillings, extractions, and check-ups at approximately 80% CNS reimbursement. Complex dental work (crowns, bridges, implants) has lower reimbursement rates and is where supplementary insurance becomes important. Orthodontics for children: fully or substantially reimbursed. Find a dentist (médecin-dentiste) at cns.lu directory.
Public mental health (psychiatrie): available through hospitals (CHL, CHNP — Centre Hospitalier Neuro-Psychiatrique) for serious conditions. Psychologist appointments: partially reimbursed by CNS for approved indications (anxiety, depression) — approximately 80% of approved fee. Private psychologists: €80–150/session; limited CNS reimbursement outside approved indications. SOS Détresse crisis line: 454545 (24/7). Long waiting times for public psychiatric consultations (4–8 weeks non-emergency).
Maternity care is very well covered by CNS (100% reimbursement for all mandatory maternity follow-up visits and childbirth). Luxembourg has excellent maternity facilities. Prenatal care begins with your GP or gynaecologist — no referral required. Maternity leave (congé de maternité): 8 weeks before, 12 weeks after birth. Full CNS reimbursement for all deliveries whether at public or private maternity ward.
Expat-specific advice
- Your employer registers you with SECU — confirm this has happened and get your SECU/CNS affiliation number.
- Receive your CNS card by post (2–4 weeks). Until then, use proof of SECU registration at medical appointments.
- Choose a médecin généraliste (GP) — search cns.lu for doctors accepting new patients.
- Consider supplementary mutuelle insurance to cover the 20% CNS co-payment — enrol soon after arrival for best terms.
- Save 112 (emergency) and SOS Médecins Luxembourg +352 46 05 05 (urgent non-emergency) in your phone.
Pharmacies (Pharmacie)
- Doliprane / paracétamol (€3–8)
- Ibuprofène (€4–9)
- Antihistamines (€8–15)
- Vitamin D (especially useful in winter)
- Throat lozenges
- Nasal decongestants
- Rehydration sachets
Typical costs
| GP visit (with insurance) | €0–10 (CNS pays 80% of approximately €50 consultation; 20% co-pay; mutuelle often covers the remainder) |
| GP visit (private pay) | €50 (full fee if not CNS affiliated — reimbursement possible if CNS affiliation established later) |
| Specialist visit | €80–150 consultation fee; CNS reimburses 80%; mutuelle covers remainder if held |
| Emergency visit | €50–200+ depending on treatment; CNS covers 80% after submission |
| MRI scan | €200–400 (CNS reimburses 80% for medically indicated scans) |
| Prescription average | €5–25 per item (CNS subsidy applied; patient pays remainder) |
| Dental check-up | €40–80 (CNS reimburses approximately 80% of approved fee; €8–16 co-pay) |
| Baby delivery | €0 net (CNS covers 100% of standard maternity care including delivery) |
Healthcare
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