Treatment within the specialist health service abroad
If you are a patient who is entitled to essential healthcare within the specialist health service in Norway, you may be able to have planned treatment abroad. This page has an overview of the schemes that are available.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
Treatment abroad which is not available in Norway
Do you wish to receive treatment abroad which is not available in Norway or which is more effective abroad?
If you wish to receive treatment which is not offered in Norway, or which has been proven to be more effective abroad, you will find more information and guidance on how to apply here (in Norwegian):
Do you wish to receive treatment in another EU/EEA country which is equivalent to treatment you could have received in Norway?
You can now claim reimbursement for your expenses on healthcare within the specialist health service in other countries within the EU/EEA if the treatment is equivalent to the healthcare you would have received in Norway. You can then be reimbursed for expenses for medical investigations and/or treatment at a hospital or outpatient clinic.
Your entitlement to reimbursement applies both if you travel abroad for the purpose of receiving healthcare and if you are staying in another EU/EEA country when the need for healthcare arises. Note, however, that this scheme is not applicable to Switzerland.
Not received healthcare within a medically defensible period of time
Do you wish to receive treatment abroad because you have not received healthcare in Norway within a medically defensible period of time?
If you have a medical certificate confirming that your state of health is such that the waiting time in Norway is not medically defensible, you can apply to Helfo for advance approval to have your treatment in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland.