Belgium’s mandatory, taxpayer-funded health insurance to cover euthanasia costs

Starting November 1, 2025, Belgium’s mandatory health insurance will fully cover the costs of euthanasia, signifying a key policy update that entails end-to-end reimbursement for doctors performing euthanasia, as well as the materials used, the procedure itself, confirmation of death, and administrative paperwork.

Key Takeaways:

• Belgium legalized euthanasia in 2002. It has since become one of the world leaders in dying, with people euthanized for virtually any reason.

• The Belgian health care system is now funding euthanasia with taxpayer dollars.

The Details:

Belgian doctors will obtain an official fee of EUR 180.24 (just over $208 USD) for performing euthanasia, according to a statement by the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (Riziv). This implies that patients and their families will no longer have to pay for euthanasia themselves. By including euthanasia in the reimbursement system, Belgium’s health insurance fund will cover the cost of the procedure, The Brussels Times reported. 

In 2002, Belgium legalized euthanasia and currently has one of the most permissive laws globally, even permitting minors since 2014 to access euthanasia with parental consent. Since the extension of euthanasia to minors that year, six cases have been documented, including one in 2024.

Zoom In:

Patients applying for euthanasia in Belgium can legally qualify for the procedure if they encounter constant and unbearable physical or psychological suffering from an accident or incurable illness, with a written, voluntary, consistent, and repeated request. However, critics have contended that the subjective nature of “unbearable suffering” leaves leeway for widespread and potentially harmful interpretations of the euthanasia law. 

In spite of euthanasia being fully legal for over 20 years, Belgium’s national health insurance did not fully cover the costs of the procedure until now. 

This policy change comes as euthanasia cases have increased, with the Belgian Federal Commission for the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia documenting 3,991 euthanasia registrations in 2024 — a 16.6% rise compared to 2023. Euthanasia was the reason for 3.6% of all deaths in Belgium in 2024.

Elderly patients, especially those over 70 years of age, accounted for most euthanasia cases, whereas euthanasia in younger patients remained rare. 

The Bottom Line:

The inclusion of euthanasia costs into Belgium’s public health insurance means that Belgium’s taxpayers are now going to actively contribute toward intentionally ending lives. 

From a pro-life perspective, every human life holds intrinsic worth and should be protected, particularly the most vulnerable who often cannot advocate for themselves. The message that euthanasia is a reimbursable, medically-endorsed service derails pro-life attempts to promote dignity in natural aging, quality palliative care, and life-affirming alternatives.