From 1 October, dentists who apply the third-party payment system will be required to read the patient’s identity card in order to verify their identity. In other words: no more third-party payment without the identity card being presented and read.
What is changing in practice?
The obligation to verify a patient’s identity when using the third-party payment system is not new. What is changing is the method: verification will now be carried out electronically by reading the identity card, rather than through a simple visual check.
Three things to prepare before October
- One card reader per workstation used for patient encoding. A single reader at reception is rarely sufficient if information is also entered directly from the treatment room. Also check that the reader is still correctly recognised by the workstation after the latest Windows updates — this is one of the most common and inconvenient issues.
- Make sure your practice management software is up to date. Ask your software provider now, not on 30 September: eID reading should be integrated directly into the normal encoding workflow rather than requiring a separate procedure.
- Inform your patients. This is often where difficulties arise in practice: a patient who arrives without their identity card will not be able to benefit from the third-party payment system. INAMI/RIZIV has also launched a public information campaign on this topic — « Visiting the dentist? Remember your identity card! ». Include this message in your appointment reminders, on your website and at reception.
Include this in your appointment reminders
One simple sentence is enough and can prevent an appointment from getting off to a difficult start:
« Please remember to bring your identity card: it is required in order to apply the third-party payment system. »
Special cases
Children without an identity card, patients who are unable to travel, lost cards or cards currently being renewed, and foreign residents: alternative procedures exist, but they vary depending on the situation. Do not improvise — check the applicable rules with INAMI/RIZIV or your professional association before 1 October rather than trying to resolve the issue at reception in front of the patient.
Reference page: INAMI/RIZIV — Verify the identity of your patients when applying third-party payment
