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
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):
Les mer om behandling i utlandet hvis det mangler tilbud om helsehjelp i Norge eller det finnes dokumentert mer virkningsfull helsehjelp i utlandet enn det som tilbys av det offentlige i Norge.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
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.
Read more about conditions for reimbursement of expenses for specialist health services in another EU/EEA country.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
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.
If you are not offered treatment within a medically acceptable period of time in Norway, you can apply to Helfo for advance approval to have your treatment in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo