Requesting INAMI/RIZIV reimbursement for speech and language therapy in Belgium: complete guide

In Belgium, a speech and language therapist is called a logopedist (logopède in French, logopedist in Dutch), and speech and language therapy is called logopedics. A request for intervention is the file the logopedist sends to the medical adviser of the patient's health insurance fund (mutualité) so that compulsory health insurance (INAMI/RIZIV) reimburses the assessment and the sessions. It consists of the official form (annex 98a to 98g depending on the disorder), the medical prescription for treatment and the results of the initial assessment. This guide follows Article 36 of the Belgian nomenclature as in force since 1 September 2026, and the forms published by INAMI, read on 31 October 2026.

The six steps

• 1. Assessment prescription by a GP or a specialist, except for developmental dysphasia (paediatric neurologist only).
• 2. Initial assessment in up to five sessions (codes 701013 to 701083, at least 30 minutes, never at school). The patient signs a form setting out the results.
• 3. Treatment prescription by a specialist entitled to prescribe for the category (list below).
• 4. Sending to the insurance fund, then 5. decision by the medical adviser, sent to the patient and the logopedist.
• 6. Sessions with a certificate of care each time. Treatment starts within 60 calendar days of the assessment, otherwise the assessment is not reimbursed.

What Article 36 says, word for word

The coordinated text of Article 36 (version in force since 01/09/2026) is an unofficial consolidation published by INAMI in French and Dutch; the legal reference remains the Belgian Official Gazette. The key passages are in § 4. Quotes are given in French with an English rendering.

• Sending. The request « doit être introduite sans délai par le logopède auprès du médecin-conseil » (must be submitted without delay by the logopedist to the medical adviser) of the patient's insurer.
• Form. « La demande doit être rédigée au moyen du formulaire de demande conforme au modèle établi par le Comité » (the request must use the form that follows the model set by the Insurance Committee).
• Prescription. A medical prescription from a prescriber listed in the table is attached. For aphasia (B1), dysarthria (B6.2) and chronic disorders B6.3, it « précise dans tous les cas l'étiologie et la nature et l'importance des troubles » (always states the aetiology, nature and severity of the disorder, § 4, 3°).
• The 60-day rule. « L'intervention est refusée pour toute séance de bilan ou de traitement effectuée plus de 60 jours calendrier avant la date de réception de la demande par le médecin-conseil » (reimbursement is refused for any assessment or treatment session carried out more than 60 calendar days before the medical adviser receives the request).
• Order of acts. Reimbursement is also refused for any assessment session (701013 to 701083) carried out before it was prescribed or after treatment has started.
• Duration. In § 5, « L'accord ne peut porter que sur un traitement de deux ans au maximum » (an approval can only cover two years of treatment at most).
• Tests. For language, dyslexia, dysorthographia, dyscalculia, dysphasia and stuttering, tests must be on a restricted list. The text sets no percentile; it refers to the criterion values on each test sheet (one score at or below the value for language, two scores for dyslexia, dysorthographia and dyscalculia).

Which annex, which prescriber, how many sessions

Mapping based on the INAMI forms page and the prescriber table in Article 36. We call « group A » the list of specialties that recurs most often in the table: ENT, neurology, neuropsychiatry, psychiatry, paediatric neurology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, paediatrics, stomatology, physical medicine and surgery. Caps are individual sessions of at least 30 minutes, within an approval of two years at most.

• § 2 a) oral language disorders that hinder a profession, vocational rehabilitation or an apprenticeship, annex 98a, group A, 55 sessions.
• B1 aphasia, 98a, group A plus geriatrics, 288 sessions, treatment to start within six months of onset.
• B2 developmental language disorders, 98b, group A, 190 sessions, IQ test required, ALDeQ parent questionnaire for multilingual children.
• B3 dyslexia, dysorthographia, dyscalculia, 98c, group A, 140 sessions, children up to the end of their 14th year who have been at school for at least six months.
• B4 cleft lip, palate or alveolus, 98a, group A, 30 sessions for the first approval before the 3rd birthday, then notified one-year extensions of up to 75 sessions.
• B5.1 after head and neck surgery (oncological or traumatic), 98a 2026 version, group A, 55 sessions including up to 10 preventive ones.
• B5.2 after head and neck radiotherapy (oncological), 98a 2026 version, group A plus radiotherapist, 55 sessions including up to 10 preventive ones.
• B6.1 traumatic, proliferative or congenital dysglossia, 98a, group A, 90 sessions (149 before 01/09/2026).
• B6.2 dysarthria, 98a, group A plus geriatrics, 176 sessions.
• B6.3 chronic disorders following neuromuscular conditions, 98a, neurology, neuropsychiatry or paediatric neurology, 520 sessions (and 520 per notified two-year extension).
• B6.4 stuttering, 98d, group A, 128 sessions.
• B6.5 multiple functional disorders linked to an orthodontic disorder, 98g, ENT, stomatologist or dentist, 20 sessions.
• C1 after laryngectomy, 98a, group A, 90 sessions.
• C2 laryngeal or vocal fold dysfunction, 98e, group A, 80 sessions, laryngostroboscopy result.
• D hearing disorders, 98a, ENT, neurology or paediatric neurology, 520 sessions, average hearing loss of at least 40 dB HL in the better ear.
• E dysphagia, 98a, group A plus geriatrics, 65 sessions, VFSS (VFES) or FEES result attached to the prescription.
• F developmental dysphasia, 98f, paediatric neurologist only, 384 sessions, ALDeQ whatever the exposure to French.
• G locked-in syndrome, 98a, neurology, neuropsychiatry, paediatric neurology or neurosurgery, 150 sessions over one continuous year, then one-year extensions of up to 100 sessions.

For extensions, a GP may also prescribe, except for hearing disorders and dysphasia. Two further conditions apply: for B6.3 due to multiple sclerosis, and for hearing disorders, the prescriber must work within a contracted rehabilitation centre. Always check the table in the coordinated text before sending, since that is the binding version.

What changed on 1 September 2026

The latest nomenclature changes page and the forms page list the new rules.

• New forms. Standard form 98a has a 2026 version adapted for B5.1 and B5.2, and extension notification 99 has a 2026 version for clefts. According to the forms page, old versions were accepted until 30 October 2026 inclusive, but not after. The page still offers the 98a version 20250901 and the undated 99 for other disorders; if in doubt about the version, write to logonom@riziv-inami.fgov.be.
• B5 split into B5.1 and B5.2. A current B5 approval is not converted: you keep billing the codes of the original approval, then it can be extended as B5.1 or B5.2 depending on the patient's situation.
• Clefts. B4 approvals are now extended by notification (annex 99, 2026 version), with no new request to the medical adviser.
• Remote therapy. Video sessions are back with their own codes, up to 10 consecutive remote sessions per approval. Assessments, evaluations, group sessions and the first treatment session are excluded, so the assessment behind a request is done in person.
• IQ. Since 1 September 2024, approval is possible with an IQ below 86 for developmental language disorders and dysphasia. The prior multidisciplinary assessment for an IQ below 70 becomes compulsory from 1 January 2027, not 1 January 2026 as first announced, according to the INAMI IQ page (royal decree of 03/12/2025). Some online pages still give July 2025. For an IQ between 70 and 85, conditions are unchanged.

Deadlines and the medical adviser's role

• Sending. Without delay once the treatment prescription is in hand. The 60-day window runs from receipt by the medical adviser, not from posting.
• Decision. The text of Article 36 we read sets no response time for the medical adviser and provides for no tacit approval. Be wary of pages that quote a precise turnaround with no source.
• Transmission. Under § 9, exchanges with the insurance fund can be on paper or through the eAgreement service, once that service is available. With eAgreement, a copy of the prescription and the form are attached electronically; the originals stay with you. Ask the patient's insurance fund whether this channel is open.
• Evaluation. During the two-year treatment period, at least one formal evaluation must take place and be written in the patient record (§ 5). The notification replaces the former progress assessment.

INAMI states that without an IQ score for B2 or F, the file is considered incomplete and no approval is given.

What to attach, and what not to attach

Attach the typed annex 98 (the forms page asks for this to speed up processing), the medical prescription for treatment (stating aetiology, nature and severity for B1, B6.2 and B6.3), and the test scores in the results table of the annex (98b to 98f). For dysphagia, Article 36 requires the VFSS or FEES result to be attached to the prescription.

Do not attach, according to the forms page, the VFSS or FEES report (summarise it in the history), the audiogram (hearing disorders, 98b and 98f), the IQ test report (98b and 98f), the orthodontic certificate (just give the provider's name, the type of disorder and the date) or the detailed laryngostroboscopy report (give the doctor, the date and whether it is normal or pathological). If audiometry was done by an audiologist, write their name followed by « (audiologue) ».

The full initial assessment is kept in the patient record (§ 4), with the original prescriptions.

Initial assessment report template, ready to copy

Each heading matches an element required by § 4 of Article 36, in the order of the text, with what we suggest putting in it.

• Logopedist. Name, INAMI number, practice address, phone, email.
• Patient. Full name, date of birth, address, insurance fund, national register number (NISS).
• Place and dates of the assessment. Exact place (practice, home, hospital; never the school for a reimbursed assessment), date of each assessment session.
• Prescriptions. Prescriber of the assessment and date; prescriber of the treatment, specialty and date; aetiology, nature and severity (required for B1, B6.2 and B6.3).
• Disorder treated. Wording copied exactly from the nomenclature, with the category (for example « § 2, b), 3° dyslexie »).
• Presenting problem and history. Reason for referral, complaints, development, history, languages spoken, schooling or work, previous therapy.
• Additional examinations. Audiometry, IQ, laryngostroboscopy, VFSS or FEES depending on the category, with date and practitioner.
• Clinical observations. Behaviour during testing, attention, fatigue, strategies observed.
• Test results. For each test, its name, the version of the restricted list used, the raw score, the normative interpretation (standard deviation, percentile, delay), the criterion value from the test sheet and whether it is met, then the interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative data.
• Conclusion. The disorder retained, its severity, and how the results meet the category criteria.
• Treatment proposal. Goals, content, plan, planned start date (within 60 days), frequency, session length, place, number of sessions requested within the cap.
• Signatures. Logopedist, and patient or legal representative on the form setting out the results.

Filled-in fictional example (dyslexia, annex 98c)

All names and figures below are invented for the example.

• Logopedist. Claire Dumont, logopedist, INAMI no. 6-00000-00-000, rue des Tilleuls 12, 5000 Namur.
• Patient. Léa Martin, born 14/03/2017, rue du Pont 4, 5000 Namur, insurance fund X.
• Place and dates. Namur practice, assessment sessions on 2, 6 and 9 October 2026.
• Prescriptions. Assessment prescribed by Dr A. Lambert, GP, on 28/09/2026. Treatment prescribed by Dr B. Renard, paediatrician, on 14/10/2026, for developmental dyslexia and dysorthographia with marked difficulty identifying written words.
• Disorder treated. § 2, b), 3° dyslexia and dysorthographia.
• Presenting problem. Léa is in 4th year of primary school in mainstream education, schooled in Belgium since nursery. Her teacher reports slow, halting reading and many spelling errors. No notable medical history, vision checked, French is the only home language.
• Results. Single-word reading (dyslexia restricted list of 01/03/2025), raw score 21, below the criterion value on the sheet. Pseudoword reading, raw score 9, below the criterion value. Word dictation (dysorthographia list of 01/03/2025), raw score 14, and pseudoword dictation, raw score 6, both below the criterion value. Oral comprehension within norms.
• Conclusion. Two reading scores and two spelling scores at or below the criterion values, so the conditions of § 2, b), 3° are met.
• Proposal. Work on phonological decoding, then on whole-word recognition, lexical spelling, parent guidance. Planned start 21/10/2026, two 30-minute sessions a week at the practice, 140 sessions requested over two years.
• Sending. Typed annex 98c, scores entered in the table, prescription of 14/10/2026 attached, file received by the insurance fund on 16/10/2026. The assessment sessions of 2 to 9 October fall inside the 60-day window.

More templates (session notes, reports, letters to prescribers) are in our clinical document templates.

Checklist before sending

• The assessment prescription is dated before the first assessment session.
• The treatment prescriber appears in the table for this category (paediatric neurologist for dysphasia).
• For B1, B6.2 and B6.3, the prescription states aetiology, nature and severity of the disorder.
• The annex matches the category and was downloaded that day from the INAMI page (98a 2026 version for B5.1 and B5.2, 99 2026 version for clefts).
• The form is typed.
• The tests are on the current restricted list and the scores are in the results table.
• The IQ score is present for B2 and F, and the ALDeQ is done for multilingual children (always for F).
• Age conditions are met (end of 14th year for B3, six months of schooling).
• No unnecessary document is attached (audiogram, IQ report, VFSS or FEES report).
• The oldest assessment session will be under 60 days old on the likely date of receipt.

Common mistakes that get a request refused

• Late sending. The file waits for the treatment prescription and the first assessment sessions are over 60 days old on receipt. They will not be reimbursed.
• Assessment before prescription. The first session is done when the parent calls and the prescription comes later. That session is refused.
• Wrong prescriber. Initial treatment prescribed by the GP, or dysphasia prescribed by an ENT.
• Old form version. Since 31 October 2026, insurance funds no longer accept old versions.
• Test not on the list, a test sheet from an outdated list, or only one score below the criterion value for dyslexia instead of two.
• Incomplete file. Missing IQ for B2 or F, missing audiometry, forgotten ALDeQ.
• Vague wording. « Learning difficulties » instead of the exact nomenclature wording.

If the request is refused

The official pages we read describe no appeal procedure specific to logopedics. We suggest reading the appeal options stated on the decision sent to the patient. If the refusal is due to a missing document or a form error, call the medical adviser's office to learn the reason, then resubmit a complete file straight away because of the 60-day rule.

Why Delta fits this work

Delta is the clinical assistant that keeps the memory of every patient. It writes assessment reports and session reports adapted to logopedics, in your vocabulary and the structure of your own reports, and keeps the patient record up to date from one session to the next, so the formal evaluation required during the approval sits in the same place as the whole course of therapy. Data stays in Europe, in France, on infrastructure certified for health data. Delta does not score tests, compute scores or fill in annex 98: you enter the raw scores in the official form yourself. See the Delta page for logopedists in Belgium, our comparison of software for logopedists in Belgium and, for the legal side, our GDPR guide for Belgium.

Sources

• INAMI, nomenclature Article 36, logopedics, coordinated text in force since 01/09/2026 (versions page, in French).
• INAMI, request for intervention and extension notification forms, read on 31/10/2026.
• INAMI, how to request reimbursement for logopedic treatment.
• INAMI, logopedics nomenclature, latest changes (royal decrees of 28/06/2026 and 15/07/2026).
• INAMI, restricted lists of tests (versions of 01/03/2025).