Specific rules concerning subsidies for healthcare services in certain EU/EEA countries
Specific rules apply concerning the right to the coverage of expenses for healthcare services in certain EU/EEA countries. This primarily applies to posted workers, posted self-employed persons, students and pensioners receiving a contractual early retirement pension (AFP).
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
Your rights
Specific rules apply concerning the right to the coverage of expenses for healthcare services in certain EU/EEA countries. This applies in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
The scheme primarily applies to posted workers, posted self-employed persons, students and pensioners receiving a public sector contractual pension (AFP) in one of these countries. You should be aware that you must have retained your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme in order to have rights during your stay.
In addition to making use of the public healthcare service, you can choose to use a private healthcare service and apply Helfo for reimbursement afterwards. You will need to find a healthcare provider yourself.
You will be entitled to receive healthcare from the public health service if you have obtained a rights document from Helfo. You will then only have to pay the same user fees as citizens of that country.
Find out more about your rights here:
- Posted workers in the EU/EEA and Switzerland
- Self-employed persons in the EU/EEA and Switzerland (in Norwegian)
- Students in the EU/EEA and Switzerland
- Pensioners in the EU/EEA and Switzerland (see step 3 concerning pensioners receiving a public sector contractual pension (AFP))
Example
Karl is Norwegian and has been posted to work at the Norwegian Embassy in Budapest. While in Hungary, he needs a gallbladder operation. He wants to use a private health care service. Karl contacts a private hospital in Budapest. The hospital enters into an agreement to treat Karl there.
What can you be covered for?
If you meet all the conditions for reimbursement, you will be reimbursed for all or some of your expenses.
The amount you are reimbursed will depend on whether you are entitled to extended or ordinary subsidisation.
Posted workers, posted self-employed persons and students may be entitled to extended subsidisation. Pensioners receiving a contractual early retirement pension (AFP) may be entitled to ordinary subsidisation.
Example
Karl is entitled to coverage for his expenses in connection with his gallbladder surgery. His hospital expenses are covered in full.
Remember documentation!
Remember to obtain the necessary documentation.
Once the treatment is complete, you must retain or obtain the following documentation
- necessary documentation of your state of health, examinations and any treatment
- original itemised bills
- receipt or other documentation showing that the expense has been paid
You may also be asked to present other documentation showing, for example, your affiliation to Norway or what you are doing in the country in which you are staying.
Please note that AFP pensioners with voluntary membership may also be entitled to subsidisation under the rules on planned treatment in another EU/EEA country. Separate documentation requirements will then apply. See an overview of the healthcare expenses for which you may be entitled to reimbursement.
Example
When Karl is discharged from the hospital, he makes sure he has documentation of the treatment he has received and a receipt.
Travel expenses
You will not be reimbursed for more than you would have received if the treatment had been performed in Norway.
You can claim the proportion of your travel expenses that corresponds to what you would have had to pay in Norway.
In Norway, the general rule is that your travel expenses will be reimbursed at a standard rate per kilometre, regardless of which means of transport you use. You must travel to the geographically closest location at which the health service can be provided. In order to be reimbursed, the journey must be longer than ten kilometres each way and cost more than the local minimum fare by scheduled public transport.
Reimbursable travel expenses must be submitted on this claim form:
(The form is in Norwegian, but click here for an English guide with instructions for filling out the form “Reiseregningsskjema".)
Send the claim form with the other documentation – see the next step. If your application for coverage of expenses from Helfo is granted, Helfo will forward your travel expenses claim to the Norwegian regional health authorities' patient-travel service (Pasientreiser – in Norwegian).
Example
Karl is studying in Szeged, but wants to have the treatment at a private hospital in Budapest. As there is a private hospital in Szeged which offers gallbladder surgery, he will not be reimbursed for his travel expenses to Budapest.
Submitting your application to Helfo
Once the treatment is complete, you can apply Helfo for reimbursement. You must apply within six months.
You must send the application form and documentation to Helfo within 6 months of each treatment date. If you have not settled on the spot but paid later, we calculate the deadline from the payment date.
For details about the applicable documentation requirements, see "Don't forget the documentation".
Paper form
If you are unable to use our digital form, you can complete and submit a paper form instead. Send the application form together with the relevant documentation to Helfo, Postbox 2415, 3104 Tønsberg, Norway.
Pensioners receiving a contractual early retirement pension (AFP) must complete and submit this form:
Other groups must complete and submit this form:
Example
Karl submits a digital application, along with documentation on treatments and receipts, and he receives reimbursement from Helfo.
Guidance Helsenorge
If you have any questions, please call Guidance Helsenorge: +47 23 32 70 00