Pension and retirement

The transition to retirement and living abroad can raise questions and concerns, particularly when it comes to accessing healthcare.

This page is designed to provide me with all the information I need about my medical cover as a pensioner, whether I live in Luxembourg or abroad.

Everything I need to know

When I receive an old-age pension from Luxembourg, my medical cover changes depending on my country of residence, any other pensions I may have and whether or not I am employed in my country of residence.

Four possible scenarios exist. Below, I select the section that corresponds to my situation by clicking on the corresponding tab.

I only receive a Luxembourg pension and I am no longer working

This situation applies to me if:

  • I receive an old-age pension from Luxembourg, and
  • I am not in employment, and
  • I live in a country of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.

Who manages my health insurance?

In this case, the State of Luxembourg will provide my medical cover. However, I must register with the local health insurance fund.

Formalities, reimbursement: the CNS informs me and guides me through the steps I need to take.

What are the procedures?

To have my healthcare costs covered, I need to register with the health insurance fund in my country of residence:

  1. I order form S1 from the Caisse nationale d'assurance pension (CNAP).
  2. I send it to the health insurance fund in my country of residence.

Registering my family members

At the request of the sickness fund in the country of residence, the CNS will issue an S1 form for each family member, child or spouse.

Please note! The status of family member will be assessed in accordance with local legislation. Where applicable, family members who are not recognised as such must take out medical cover with the local scheme, subject to the payment of any contributions.

Reimbursement of my medical expenses...

Incurred in my country of residence

They will be reimbursed by the local health insurance fund in accordance with the conditions, provisions, rates and tariffs applied locally.

Incurred in Luxembourg or abroad

I request reimbursement from the Luxembourg health insurance fund.

Please note!

I only receive a Luxembourg pension and I work in my country of residence

This situation applies to me if:

  • I receive an old-age pension from Luxembourg, and
  • I live in a country of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, and
  • I work in my country of residence.

Who manages my health insurance?

In this case, my status as a working person takes precedence over that of a pensioner: as a salaried employee, I will automatically be covered by the health insurance scheme in my country of residence for my professional activity.

As a result, I will no longer be covered by the Luxembourg scheme and I must apply to register with the local health insurance fund.

Formalities, reimbursement: the CNS informs me and guides me through the procedures.

What are the procedures?

  1. I contact the health insurance organisation in my place of residence to find out how to register and become a member, depending on my status as a working person in that country. They will also tell me about the insurance cover available for my family members.
  2. I inform the Luxembourg pension and health insurance institutions of my change of situation and/or transfer of residence.
  3. If necessary, I return my social security card to the CNS.

Reimbursement of my medical expenses

My medical expenses will be covered by the health insurance fund in my country of residence, whether they are received locally or abroad.

I receive a Luxembourg pension and a pension from the country where I live

This situation applies to me if:

  • I receive an old-age pension from Luxembourg, and
  • I live in one of the other countries of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, and
  • I also receive a pension from my country of residence.

Who manages my health insurance?

In this case, as a resident of a country from which I receive a pension, I am insured by that country.

As a result, I am no longer covered by the Luxembourg health insurance scheme and must apply to register with the local health insurance fund.

Formalities, reimbursement: the CNS informs me and guides me through the procedures.

What are the procedures?

  1. I contact the health insurance fund in my place of residence to find out how to register and become a member, depending on my status as a pensioner in that country. They will also tell me about the insurance cover available for my family members.
  2. I inform the Luxembourg pension and health insurance institutions of my change of situation and/or transfer of residence.
  3. If necessary, I return my social security card to the CNS.

Reimbursement of my medical expenses

My healthcare costs will be reimbursed by the health insurance fund in my country of residence, whether they are received locally or abroad.

I wish to continue my treatment in my last country of employment

I can continue my treatment and have it covered in the country where I last worked. If this is Luxembourg, I must request form S3 from the health insurance fund in my country of residence and submit it to the CNS.

Good to know: this provision applies to my co-insureds, unless the last country in which I worked was Denmark, Ireland, Finland, Sweden or the United Kingdom.

Conditions for reimbursement of my treatment in Luxembourg

I can also register with the CNS and obtain reimbursement of my medical treatment received in Luxembourg on presentation of form S3 supplied by the sickness fund in my country of residence, and provided I meet the following two conditions:

  • During the 5 years preceding the payment of my pension, I was employed in Luxembourg as a cross-border worker for at least 2 years;
  • I now live in Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Austria or Portugal.

Please note! The list of these countries is subject to change at any time. For the latest update, please consult Annex V of Regulation (EC) 883/2004.

To be reimbursed for any medical expenses incurred outside Luxembourg, I must contact the competent health insurance fund in my country of residence (the fund that issued form S3).

Luxembourg - France agreement

In accordance with the agreement of 7 November 2005, any pensioner residing in France or Luxembourg may, on presentation of the European Health Insurance Card, seek medical treatment in the territory of the other signatory country where he or she does not reside.

I am a pensioner in Luxembourg and in countries other than the one in which I reside, but I am not working

This situation applies to me if:

  • I receive an old-age pension from Luxembourg, and
  • I receive one or more pensions from other Member States of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, and
  • I am not in employment, and
  • I live in another country of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, but do not receive a pension there.

Who manages my health insurance?

In this case, my health insurance will be provided by the State where I have paid contributions for the longest period. If this period is identical in several States, the last State of affiliation is responsible for payment.

Formalities, reimbursement: the CNS informs me and guides me through the procedures.

What are the procedures?

The procedures vary depending on which country is responsible for my health insurance (see 'In a nutshell').

Luxembourg is responsible

If form S1 has been drawn up by the Luxembourg pension fund (CNAP):

  • For medical treatment received in my country of residence, the local health insurance fund will reimburse me in accordance with the conditions, provisions, rates and tariffs applied locally.
  • For medical treatment received outside my country of residence, I can request reimbursement from the Luxembourg health insurance fund.

Please note!

I must obtain prior authorisation if I wish to be reimbursed for certain scheduled treatments abroad (inpatient treatment in hospital, for example).

If my treatment takes place in Cyprus, Spain, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom or Sweden (countries listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No. 987/2009), I must request prior authorisation from the competent fund in that country.

Another country is responsible

If form S1 is issued by the pension fund of a State in the European Economic Area (excluding Luxembourg) or Switzerland :

  • For medical treatment received in my country of residence, the local health insurance fund will reimburse me in accordance with the conditions, provisions, rates and tariffs applied locally.
  • For medical treatment received outside my country of residence, there are two scenarios depending on whether or not the country that issued the S1 form is listed in Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 883/2004:
  1. Any State listed in the Annex is responsible for covering any healthcare costs incurred in that State and abroad, whether for necessary or planned treatment.
  2. State not listed in the Annex: only medically necessary treatment during my stay in the territory of this State will be directly covered by the local health insurance fund, on the basis of the valid European Health Insurance Card. For scheduled treatment abroad, I must contact the health insurance fund in my country of residence.

If my scheduled treatment (including inpatient hospital treatment) is in Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom (countries listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 987/2009), the health insurance fund in that country is responsible for issuing prior authorisation.

Good to know

In all cases, the country responsible for my health insurance, the one that issues the S1 form, can also provide me with a European Health Insurance Card.

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