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No society can ignore inequality in gaining access to healthcare services. The setting up of a generalized safety net against adverse effects of sickness on households, as achieved in Belgium with the Maximum yearly health bill, is a key priority. The Belgian healthcare system is characterized by its openness and its degree of freedom. The responsibility of both individuals and providers is therefore crucial. Only the certainty that money spent by the collectivity is adequately allocated can guarantee public support for public sector financing. The challenge is to match the most cost-efficient treatments with increasing requirements from citizens over quality. Without jeopardizing the providers’ autonomy, quality control must be accompanied by a brake on growing consumerism.