How do I get help in case of illness in Denmark (the EHIC)
Be aware to show valid documentation for your healthcare coverage to the healthcare provider concerned:
- A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Provisional Replacement Certificate for the card.
- A British issued CRA EHIC or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a Provisional Replacement Certificate for the card.
- Nordic residents need only to show documentation for residence in a Nordic country and valid national ID.
- Nationals from countries outside the EU and UK can only use the EHIC or a CRA EHIC in Denmark if they are stateless, refugees, resident in another Nordic country or are insured as a family member of an EU/EEA national, Swiss or British national.
How do I get treatment by a general practitioner?
- Contact any GP covered by a contract with the public health insurance scheme.
- Office hours are normally 8 am to 4 pm.
- Outside office hours: telephone the local emergency service (lægevagt)
- Treatment is free of charge, if you show a valid EHIC, a British issued health insurance card or a Provisional Replacement Certificate.
How do I get treatment by a specialist?
- To obtain treatment by a specialist, you usually a referral from a GP covered by a contract with the public health insurance scheme.
- Treatment is free of charge, if you show a valid EHIC or a Provisional Replacement Certificate.
How do I get hospital treatment?
- In serious acute situations: Call 112.
- In case of other emergencies that happened within the last 24 hours, you can contact the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department (skadestue or Akutmodtagelse/Akutklinik) in a public hospital.
- In some of the five regions, you need to arrange for the consultation beforehand.
- Information on how to access acute hospital help in the five regions can be found on the webpage Life in Denmark (borger.dk).
- In non-acute cases, you need a referral from a GP.
- Treatment is free of charge if you are under 18 or if you show a valid EHIC or a Provisional Replacement Certificate.
How do I get reimbursement in Denmark?
- If you did not show valid documentation for your healthcare coverage and therefore had to pay the full price for treatment, you may apply for reimbursement from the public insurance by contacting the municipality you are visiting.
- Show all original bills, receipts and referrals.
- • Show valid documentation for your healthcare coverage (EHIC, British issued health insurance card or a Provisional Replacement Certificate for the card).
- Present your bank account details (IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code).
How do I get treatment by a dentist?
- Contact any dentist covered by a contract with the public health care.
- The public health care reimburses up to 40 percent of costs for certain treatments.
- No reimbursement for dentures, crowns etc.
Other benefits on referral from GP?
- Treatment by a psychologist, physiotherapist and chiropodist.
- You must pay part of the cost for treatment.
Other benefits without referral with partial reimbursement?
- Treatment by a chiropractor.
- You must pay part of the cost for treatment.
How do I get ambulance transport to a hospital?
- Call 112 in case of immediate need of transport by ambulance to the nearest public hospital.
- Acute necessary ambulance transport is free of charge.
How do I get medicines?
- Show your prescription from the GP, hospital or specialist in any pharmacy.
- Reimbursement is calculated on the basis of the actual annual consumption of medicines on prescription.
- No reimbursement of annual costs below a fixed limit (in 2022: 1.020 DKK) - however min. 60 percent reimbursement for children under 18.
- Visitors will get a special card with a unique number the first time they buy prescribed medicine in Denmark. Show this card at any further purchase of medicine for calculation of the reimbursement.
- For further details on reimbursement rates for medicines see the website of Danish Medicines Agency (laegemiddelstyrelsen.dk)
Certain treatments need to be arranged for before I arrive in Denmark
- If you need treatment during your stay in Denmark as e.g. dialysis, oxygen or chemotherapy you must arrange the treatment with the relevant local public hospital in Denmark well in advance of your arrival in Denmark.
- Treatment at private providers is only covered if referral is given from a public hospital.
- Public hospitals may refuse to arrange treatment because of capacity problems.
- For information about public Danish hospitals with dialysis, oxygen service etc., you can contact the regional patient advisors in the region in which you are staying during your visit in Denmark. Find contact information for the five regional patient offices.
- For questions on costs for transportation, please contact the hospital.
How do I get reimbursement after my return home?
- Apply for reimbursement in your national health insurance institution.
- Hand in all original bills, receipts and referrals.
- Your institution will ask the Danish regional authorities for information about the reimbursable amount.
Further information
The municipality of your place of stay can inform you on rules and GPs, who have contract with the public health ínsurance.
For general information on health care in Denmark, see the following websites: