This applies primarily to full-time students studying abroad, or persons stationed abroad by their Norwegian employer.
The subsidisation is mainly granted to cover expenses on healthcare outside the EU/EEA area. Please note however that certain EU/EEA countries apply special rules regarding healthcare subsidisation (in Norwegian).
- Follow this link for more information about your rights as a student outside of the EU/EEA.
- Follow this link for more information about your rights as a posted worker outside of the EU/EEA.
On these pages you will also find forms for applying for reimbursement of healthcare expenses during your stay.
What types of healthcare expenses are eligible for extended subsidisation?
Ambulance transport and hospitalisation
You are entitled to a full refund of actual expenses for necessary ambulance transport and hospitalisation abroad.
Medical care
You can get 75 % of actual expenses covered for necessary outpatient treatment (including dialysis) and other medical care outside hospital, for tests and diagnostics at medical laboratories, and for radiological examinations and treatment.
In order to be eligible for the maximum allowable subsidisation, you must take care to obtain documentation of the type of medical care you have received, including any tests you have had done.
Pregnancy check-ups (Antenatal care assessments)
You are entitled to a full refund of actual expenses for necessary pregnancy check-ups abroad.
Psychologist
You can get 75 % of the actual cost of necessary psychological treatment covered.
You can receive three assessment consultations without a referral. For further treatment, you must first get a referral from a doctor or psychologist. The treatment and scope must be necessary and according to the regulations for receiving psychological treatment covered by the public sector in Norway.
The psychologist you wish to receive treatment from, must have the necessary specialisation in clinical psychology. In Norway this means that the psychologist has completed the professional study program in psychology and then completed a further 5-year specialist education. You must document that the practitioner has the necessary specialisation and qualifications.
Treatment by a psychotherapist is not covered.
Medicinal therapy (medication)
You may be eligible for subsidisation for medication received abroad (in Norwegian) pursuant to the rules in Section 5-14 of the Norwegian National Insurance Act. This means that you may qualify for subsidisation of medication covered by the Norwegian «blue prescription» (Norwegian: blå resept) scheme. In some cases medication under the hospitals' responsibility can also be funded by Helfo when received abroad.
You will usually have to pay a user fee (out-of-pocket maximum) for blue-prescription medication. Children under the age of 16 and recipients of a minimal state pension (Norwegian: minstepensjon) do not have to pay a user fee, meaning that their medication is free.
Any claim for reimbursement of expenses on medication must be supported by a statement by the treatment provider abroad. The medical statement must state the name of the medication, its active ingredient(s), any medicines you have been prescribed previously, your diagnosis and how long you will be taking the medication for.
Medical consumables
You may be eligible for subsidisation of medical consumables pursuant to the rules in Section 5-14 of the Norwegian National Insurance Act. This means that you may qualify for subsidisation of medical consumables covered by the Norwegian "blue prescription" (Norwegian: blå resept) scheme. The products available on a blue prescription must appear in Helfo's product and price list for the condition in question. Find out more about this on the "Resepter" page (in Norwegian).
In some cases, you may be entitled to partial coverage of expenses on medical consumables through the so-called contribution scheme. The material must be purchased at a pharmacy or from a surgical supplier. Find out more about this on the "Prescriptions" page.
Physical therapy
You can get 75 % of the actual cost of necessary physiotherapy treatment covered. A referral from a doctor is no longer required. The therapy must be of significant value for your medical condition and physical functioning.
Chiropractic therapy
You may claim a reimbursement of NOK 110 (starting from July 1, 2024) for the first consultation in the case of necessary therapy from a chiropractor and then NOK 47 (starting from July 1, 2024) for any subsequent therapy sessions.
Dental care
In Norway most people over the age of 20 must pay the full amount of dental care out of pocket, but exemptions are made in the case of certain medical conditions.
Under extended subsidisation, children and young people are only covered for dental treatment comprised by these medical conditions. Dental treatment that in Norway is covered by the county municipality is not covered.
The subsidisation from the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme is calculated differently depending on the type of medical condition necessitating the dental work. Up to 75 % of necessary expenses on approved dental care are reimbursable. In cases where expenses on dental care in Norway would be fully reimbursable, expenses on equivalent dental care outside Norway will likewise be fully reimbursable.
Orthodontic treatment
Expenses on necessary orthodontic work (straightening of irregular teeth) abroad are covered at the same rates as in Norway.
You can find the rates in the Norwegian Directorate of Health's "Takster for tannbehandling" under item G.
The subsidisation is determined by Helfo based on the necessity of the treatment and any sibling discount. Eligibility for a sibling discount must be documented by a statement from the treating orthodontist, who confirms that siblings have had expenses on orthodontic treatment.
For the initial assessment for orthodontic work, you must ensure that the following form is completed by the orthodontist who treats you outside Norway:
You must also have documentation of which treatment has been performed. The orthodontist does this by completing the following form:
These forms must be enclosed with your claim form together with your X-rays and treatment plan.
Please note that the treating orthodontist must fill in a new description of treatment (form 05-24.15) for each visit. These must be sent, together with itemised receipts, 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.
If the orthodontic treatment was started in Norway, Helfo requires a statement from the Norwegian orthodontist concerning which reimbursement group (40-100 %) the patient belongs to.
Logopaedics
In certain cases, subsidisation is granted for treatment by a speech therapist or teacher of the hard of hearing/deaf. You must hold a referral letter from a doctor.
Infertility treatment
You can apply for reimbursement for the expenses for infertility treatment abroad if the treatment is equivalent to what you would have received in Norway. To get partial expense reimbursement, you must be a single woman living alone, or in a marriage or cohabitant in a marriage-like relationship. You must also fulfill the conditions for treatment of infertility according to the Norwegian law on biotechnology (bioteknologiloven – in Norwegian).
You may be reimbursed for up to three attempts per child. You may be entitled to reimbursement of your expenses for fertility drugs, according to the rules laid out in the National Insurance Act section 5-22.
Oxygen therapy
You are entitled to a full refund of your actual expenses.
General information about user fees
When you receive a reimbursement from Helfo, a user fee will usually be deducted from the reimbursement amount. Some of these user fees are included in a user fee limit. Others are not included, for example user fees for dental care and physical treatment.
The user fee limit for health expenses abroad is NOK 2,374 in 2024. After reaching the user fee limit, you will not be deducted for any additional user fees included in the scheme in the same year.
User fees abroad are not coordinated with any user fees you pay in Norway.
User fees and occupational injury or illness
If you have received a decision from NAV certifying an occupational injury or illness, you will not have to pay user fees for expenses on medical care, physical therapy and dental treatment. For the purchase of medicines, medical devices and medical consumables (with reference to Section 5-14 of the Norwegian National Insurance Act), user fees are not deducted. There must be a causal relationship between the occupational injury and the need for the health service.
Travel expenses
When you have received healthcare abroad, your travel expenses are covered according to the same rules as in Norway. This means that when you have received healthcare abroad, your expenses will be covered to the same extent as if your treatment was received in Norway.
In Norway, the main rule is that you can be reimbursed with a standard rate per kilometre, regardless of which means of transportation you have used. According to the Norwegian rules, you must travel to the nearest place the healthcare can be given.
If you wish to apply for coverage of travel and accommodation expenses in connection with treatment and there is no medically justifiable health service where you are staying, you need confirmation of this from a doctor at the place you are staying. The confirmation must contain information about the medical necessity of travelling to another town or another country and where the nearest medically justifiable health service is.
Your expenses will only be reimbursed if the trip is longer than ten kilometres each way and the cost is higher than the local minimum rate of public transportation. User fee per trip (each way) is NOK 171 (in 2024).
Living expenses
For necessary expenses on board and lodging (in Norwegian) during treatment away from your place of ordinary residence abroad, you will be reimbursed according to the same rules as in Norway. The rates are shown here (in Norwegian). To be entitled to coverage for board and lodging, you must be granted subsidisation for the health care and travel expenses.
What types of healthcare expenses are not eligible for extended subsidisation?
You cannot be reimbursed for health services which in Norway are covered by acts other than the Norwegian National Insurance Act while you are staying abroad.
This means that no subsidisation is granted for vaccination, ordinary dentistry for children, home help service, nursing home residence, rehabilitation services, health checks and other services under the Norwegian Health and Care Services Act, Dental Health Services Act and Specialist Health Services Act.
However, as a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme with entitlement to subsidisation, you may travel to Norway to receive healthcare on the same terms as you would if you were ordinarily resident in Norway. Note, however, that your expenses on return travel to Norway will not be covered.