You will need a referral from a doctor, psychologist or child welfare officer to have your expenses covered. Without a referral, you can have up to three assessment appointments covered.
In order for you to be entitled to benefits from the National Insurance scheme, your psychologist must have an agreement with Helfo regarding direct settlement. You need to clarify this before the examination and treatment starts. The psychologist is obliged to inform you before the treatment starts if he or she does not have a direct settlement 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 have your expenses covered, the psychologist must have a funding contract with a regional health authority. You can find out whether a psychologist has such a contract either by asking the psychologist directly or by visiting the website of your regional health authority.
If you go to a psychologist who does not have a funding contract, you will have to cover all the costs yourself.
You can seek treatment within the EU/EEA, pay your expenses and submit an application to Helfo in order to have a proportion of your expenses covered.
Paying user fees for treatment by a psychologist
You must pay a fixed user fee for each treatment appointment you have with a psychologist.
The user fee varies according to how long the consultation lasts. Approved user fees are stipulated in the Regulations pursuant to Section 5-7 of the National Insurance Act.
| Psychologist | User fee |
|---|---|
| Ordinary user fee (1/2 or 1 hour) | NOK 386 |
| Session 1.5 hours | NOK 579 |
| Session 2 hours | NOK 772 |
| Session 2.5 hours | NOK 965 |
| Session 3 hours | NOK 1,158 |
| Group therapy, at least 2 hours | NOK 386 |
| Group therapy, at least 3 hours | NOK 579 |
The user fee is included in the basis for exemption cards for health services.
Only approved user fees count towards an exemption card for health services. The maximum user fee for 2024 is NOK 3165.
You will find your exemption card and decision notification when you log in to Helsenorge.
You will receive a text message or e-mail when the decision concerning your exemption card has been made, depending on the options you selected at Helsenorge.
If you have overpaid, you will automatically be refunded the amount you are entitled to.
Children and adolescents do not have to pay user fees for treatment by a psychologist
Children and adolescents under the age of 18 do not have to pay a user fee for treatment by a psychologist.
If you believe a psychologist has overcharged you, you should discuss the matter with the psychologist. You can also bring up the matter with your regional health authority.
Psychologists with a funding contract
Below, you will find links to the websites of each health region, with an overview of psychologists who have a funding agreement with a regional health authority (only in Norwegian):
- South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (in Norwegian)
- Western Norway Regional Health Authority (in Norwegian)
- Central Norway Regional Health Authority (in Norwegian)
- Northern Norway Regional Health Authority (in Norwegian)