Most doctors speak excellent English, but most aren’t in the habit of offering much explanation to their patients or responding to a lot of questions or concerns. Ask among friends and neighbours or members of expatriate organisations for referrals to doctors who may have the approach you prefer. All medical fees in the Duchy are set by the state Caisse de Maladie, so all doctors must charge the same amount. You pay the doctor directly and are reimbursed by your insurance company. Doctors’ surgeries are usually closed on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons (and Sundays!).
Once you’ve chosen a GP, you should ask about office hours and whether he makes appointments ( rendezvous) or holds ‘walk-in’ consultations or a combination of the two (which is most often the case). Being able to go to the doctor whenever you aren’t feeling well can be convenient, although there may be a long queue. Some doctors operate a supermarket-style queuing system in their waiting rooms, so that everyone is seen in turn. If you prefer to make an appointment with your GP, it’s normally possible to be seen the same day. On the other hand, it can take several days or weeks to see a specialist, most of whom work by appointment only.
Doctors usually make house calls, and some prefer to attend to you at home by appointment rather than letting you share your ‘germs’ with everyone in the waiting room. Sometimes you need to call before a certain time, e.g. 9am, to secure a place on the house call schedule for that day, and house calls (other than for emergencies) may be limited to certain hours. Make sure you ask your new doctor what his system and preferences are for appointments and house calls.
Dentists
There are many excellent dentists ( dentistes) in Luxembourg and it shouldn’t be difficult to find one who speaks English. Consulates, embassies and expatriate organisations can usually provide lists of English-speaking dentists in your area. You’re normally free to choose any dentist, but you should check the conditions of your health insurance to see if they restrict reimbursement to dentists who are approved by the insurer or national health system.
Normally, you pay the dentist directly for his services and then submit your receipt for reimbursement. Most major dental work, including crowns and bridges, require pre-approval whereby your dentist must submit a proposal to the insurance company or national health service before you have the work done.
This article is an extract from Living and Working in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg.