Purchases of medicines in the EU/EEA
You may be entitled to reimbursement of your expenses for purchases of medicines in another EU/EEA country. Go through all the steps in this guide to understand your rights and what you need to do. You will find the claim form in step 4.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
Your rights
You may be entitled to reimbursement of your expenses for medicines purchased in another EU/EEA country.
This applies to medicines that give entitlement to reimbursement in Norway in accordance with the blue prescription (blåresept) scheme or which have been requisitioned on an h-prescription. You may not be reimbursed for medicines bought through an online pharmacy abroad that you get sent to Norway.
If you are going to use a Norwegian prescription abroad, you should make sure to bring a paper prescription. A printout of an e-prescription is not enough.
As a general rule, you must be a member of the National Insurance Scheme to be eligible for reimbursement. If Helfo considers you to be residing in another EU/EEA country, you cannot receive reimbursement from Helfo for medical assistance received there. Click here for important information about eligibility for this scheme.
If you are staying temporarily in another EU/EEA country and a situation arises for which you require medical assistance, you can use the European Health Insurance Card.
See also the information on reimbursement of expenses for medical supplies (in Norwegian) and reimbursement of expenses for fertility drugs.
Example
Kari has a low metabolism and must take medication every day. She spends four months in Spain every winter and must therefore purchase medicines there. Kari uses medication that is pre-approved on a blue prescription in Norway, which has been prescribed on paper by her Norwegian doctor. She goes to the pharmacy in Spain and collects the medicine there.
No prior notification
Helfo will not provide a provisional assessment of whether you are entitled to reimbursement. You must submit your application afterwards.
What can you be covered for?
You will be reimbursed according to what you would have received in Norway.
As a general rule, you must have a blue prescription or an h-prescription for the medicine in order to receive reimbursement. If you paid more than you would have paid in Norway, you will have to pay the difference yourself. You will not be reimbursed for expenses relating to medicines if no equivalent product is available in Norway.
Example
Kari has been issued with a prescription for medicine from a doctor in Spain. If this is medicine she would receive in Norway, she may be entitled to reimbursement for her expenses when she applies.
Don’t forget the documentation!
Remember to bring the correct documentation before you submit an application to Helfo.
When applying to Helfo for reimbursement, you need itemized receipts showing the name of the medication, the number of packages, and the price. If the receipts are not itemized, we ask you to send a copy of the medication packages.
If you do not have a prescription from Norway, you need a prescription issued by foreign healthcare personnel of the same type that can issue prescriptions in Norway.
You must be able to document that the medicines has been dispensed from a pharmacy or another outlet authorized to sell medicines in the country you are staying in.
Example
Kari makes sure she retains the prescription and documentation proving that the medicine has been paid for.
Submit your application to Helfo
Once you have purchased your medicines, you can apply to Helfo for reimbursement. You must do this within six months.
For details about the applicable documentation requirements, see “Don't forget the documentation".
The appropriate forms and documentation must be sent to Helfo within six months from the date of each purchase.
Paper form
If you are unable to use our digital form, you can complete the following form and send it together with the necessary documentation to Helfo, Postboks 2415, 3104 Tønsberg:
Example
Kari submits a digital form with all relevant documentation before six months have passed.
Guidance Helsenorge
If you have any questions, please call Guidance Helsenorge: +47 23 32 70 00
Exemption card
Several types of healthcare provide entitlement to an exemption card for healthcare expenses once you have paid user fees up to a certain amount (the user-fee limit).
This also applies if the healthcare is received in another EU/EEA country.
The user fee payable will be calculated during the processing of your claim for reimbursement for treatment abroad. This user fee will be entered in the user-fee registry and will form the basis for a healthcare exemption card. If you already have an exemption card, the user fee will be paid to you along with the reimbursement.
Once you have been issued with an exemption card by Helfo, you will no longer have to pay user fees for healthcare covered by the exemption card scheme. The exemption card is valid in Norway. In other EU/EEA countries, you must pay for treatment out of pocket.