Hot Topics

Time to renew European Health Insurance Card

Oslo Airport Health Insurance travel packageBoarding card. Photo Norway Today Media

Time for 680,000 Norwegians to renew European Health Insurance Card

680,000 Norwegians received new health insurance cards three years ago.

 

These must be renewed to ensure coverage for health care on holiday abroad.

‘European health insurance cards help thousands of Norwegian tourists on holiday in EEA countries’, says Helfo. Helfo is the Health Directorate’s external agency.

‘Order the card free of charge on the helsenorge.no website before going on holiday. Everyone in the family must have a health insurance card on the journey. When ordering, you can book a spouse and child simultaneously’, said Heidi Kvaal Djupvik,
Helfo’s Divisional Head.

If you are in need of health care on holiday in another EEA country, you are entitled to coverage for necessary health care from a doctor, or in a public hospital on the same terms as the citizens of the country you are visiting. The proprietary share is the same, whether you are Norwegian or resident in the country.

Not valid in Turkey

However, there are some non-EEA countries where the health card isn’t valid, for example Turkey, and the Turkish section of Cyprus.There, only travel insurance applies.

‘We recommend everyone to also use private travel insurance, partly because the health insurance card does not cover home transport,’ says Djupvik.

She also recommended to check the health insurance card’s expiry date. The free card lasts for three years, and is usually delivered within 10 days of ordering.

If you are unable to get the card before traveling, the emergency telephone number is 23 32 70 30 if you need medical treatment on holiday in an EEA country.

‘Helfo will then send an “emergency ticket” to the public hospital or medical center you are at,’ says Djupvik.

 

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today