If you are a pensioner and have moved to another country, you are no longer a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. If you take up residence outside the EU/EEA, you must apply for voluntary membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme in order to be entitled to coverage of expenses on healthcare.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
If you are a pensioner and have moved to another country, you are no longer a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
This means that you are no longer entitled to cover for planned treatment by the Norwegian authorities and your right to a regular GP is also lost. This applies regardless of whether you are a disability pensioner, old-age pensioner or AFP pensioner (entitled to a public-sector contractual pension).
Consult the NAV website for more information about expatriate status (in Norwegian).
If you are a pensioner and are on holiday/temporarily resident abroad, you have the same rights as other tourists.
Kenneth is a pensioner and is a resident in Thailand.
If you are a pensioner and take up permanent residence outside the EU/EEA, you must apply for voluntary membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme in order to be entitled to coverage of expenses on healthcare.
Any family members supported by you and who are staying with you abroad are also eligible for voluntary membership subject to application. They will then gain the same rights as you. Learn more about voluntary membership on the NAV website.
As a voluntary member you are entitled to medical care in the country you have moved to and to have a percentage of your expenses covered subject to the rules on ordinary subsidisation. You will then have to pay the expenses out of pocket and apply to Helfo for reimbursement. Your expenses will then be reimbursed to you at fixed rates. This typically means that the reimbursement you receive is less than what you paid for the medical care.
Information about the reimbursement rates for hospitalisation (in Norwegian).
For other types of medical care, consult the rates here (in Norwegian).
As a pensioner with voluntary membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme you retain your right to receive health services during temporary residence in Norway. This means that you also have the option of travelling to Norway to receive treatment, but will have to pay your own travel expenses.
Kenneth has applied for and been granted voluntary membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. After living in Thailand for some time, Kenneth is diagnosed with lung cancer. He investigates the cost of treatment in Thailand and discovers that a reimbursement from Helfo will only cover a small fraction of the cost. Kenneth considers travelling to Norway to receive treatment there. He is entitled to this because he has taken care to retain his membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
The basic criteria of disease / medical condition for rights to health care coverage applies. This means that testing for formal reasons, e.g. for school attendance or in order to cross a border is not covered. Only testing when there is a suspicion of actual contagion will be covered. Read more about applicable test criteria here.
When it comes to vaccination the same criteria as for other treatments apply. This means that only if you would have been eligible for a vaccination had you stayed in Norway, are you eligible for coverage of expenses for a vaccination abroad. Read more about vaccination and priority groups here.
If you submit an application for reimbursement, you must take care to enclose the required documentation.
You must obtain documentation of all the medical investigations/treatment you have undergone. You must retain the original receipts and the packaging of any medication.
All documentation must be in Norwegian, Danish, Swedish or English. You should therefore try to get the documentation issued in one of these languages. If the original documents are in another language, Helfo may, if necessary, ask you to have them translated. You must pay for the translation yourself. If you enclose a translation, you must also enclose the original.
If you apply as a voluntary member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, you must complete the Helfo application form and send
enclosing the required documentation, to Helfo. This must be done within six months from each treatment date.
The application must be sent to: Helfo, Postboks 2415, 3104 Tønsberg.
To fill out the form:
Kenneth has decided to remain in Thailand even if it means he has to cover a large percentage of the costs of treatment himself. However, a fraction will be covered by Helfo. He sends the application form to Helfo, enclosing the original receipts and documentation as proof that he has received the treatment. He takes care to do this within six months from each treatment date.