Check user fees and find your exemption card
Physiotherapists/manual therapists and other treatment and service providers are responsible for reporting all approved user fees to Helfo at least every 14 days. Your user fees are automatically registered under your name. Read more about what happens when you have an exemption card or have paid more than the user fee limit.
The physiotherapist must have an agreement with Helfo and the municipality
In order for you to be entitled to benefits from the National Insurance scheme for treatment by a physiotherapist, your physiotherapist must:
- have an agreement concerning direct settlement with Helfo
- have a funding contract with the municipality
If these conditions are not met, you will have to cover all your expenses for physiotherapy treatment yourself. Read more about the terms and conditions here.
You do not need a referral for physiotherapy
You do not need a referral to a physiotherapist in order to be entitled to claim back your physiotherapy expenses.
Physiotherapists who are authorised to practise as a manual therapist can refer you to specialist doctors and hospitals and request radiological investigations (CT, MRI and X-rays). Manual therapists can also sign you off on sick leave for up to three months.
Normal user fees for physiotherapy
Only approved user fees count towards an exemption card for health services.
The physiotherapist is obliged to put up a list showing their user fees and prices. The user fee that is payable will depend on the form of treatment.
Here are the main user fees for treatment by a physiotherapist which count towards an exemption card:
Read more about payments by patients in the Regulations concerning subsidies to cover expenses for physiotherapy etc.
| Physiotherapist | User fee |
| For assessments lasting up to 30 minutes (including assessments by manual therapists and other specialists) | NOK 201 |
| Supplement for diagnostic ultrasound for musculoskeletal disorders | NOK 103 |
| Up to 20 minutes of treatment by a physiotherapist | NOK 144 |
| For every extra 10 minutes | NOK 46 |
| Separate charges apply for additional treatment/equipment use | |
| Up to 20 minutes of treatment by a manual therapist | NOK 182 |
| For every extra 10 minutes | NOK 68 |
| Up to 20 minutes of treatment by a physiotherapist with additional skills in psychomotor physiotherapy | NOK 142 |
| For every extra 10 minutes | NOK 46 |
| 30 minutes of group therapy | NOK 63 |
| 60 minutes of group therapy | NOK 109 |
| 90 minutes of group therapy | NOK 157 |
| * The user fee depends on the form of treatment. |
Children and other groups who do not have to pay user fees for physiotherapy treatment
Most patients have to pay a user fee when they have an appointment with a physiotherapist.
However, some groups do not have to pay user fees for such examination and treatment.
This applies to
- children under 16 years of age
- patients with an exemption card for health services
- patients with an approved occupational injury
- soldiers serving compulsory military service
Patient payments for physiotherapy treatment which do not count towards the exemption card scheme
In addition to user fees, you may be charged the cost of essential consumables which the physiotherapist uses during your examination or treatment session. Tape and dressings are considered to be consumables, for example.
If your physiotherapist considers them to be necessary for your treatment, they may charge you for the following at cost:
- compression stockings
- orthotics
- insoles and
- basic equipment for self-training
The professional assessment concluding that it is necessary to use such equipment must be entered in your medical records. It should be up to the patient to decide whether they wish o purchase such equipment from the physiotherapist or elsewhere.
Requirement for agreements with Helfo and the municipality
In order for you to be entitled to benefits from the National Insurance scheme for treatment by a physiotherapist, your physiotherapist must therefore:
- have an agreement concerning direct settlement with Helfo
- have a funding contract with the municipality
You must make sure that your physiotherapist has these agreements in place before your assessment or treatment begins. Your physiotherapist is obliged to inform you before the treatment starts if they do not have a direct settlement agreement with Helfo, so you will know whether or not you have to pay the entire bill yourself. This obligation follows from Section 6 of the Health Personnel Act.
In order for you to claim reimbursement for your expenses, the physiotherapist must have a funding contract with the municipality.
To find out when your physiotherapist has such an agreement, you can either ask them directly or contact the municipality.
If you see a physiotherapist who does not have a funding contract, you will have to pay all your expenses yourself.
If your physiotherapist possesses additional expertise in, for example, manual therapy or psychomotor physiotherapy, you will have to pay a higher user fee.
Physiotherapy in the EU/EEA
You can have your expenses for certain types of physiotherapy in the EU/EEA covered in accordance with Norwegian rules. You must pay for your treatment and then apply to Helfo for a refund afterwards.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo