Care
Here you will find information about what applies to you when it comes to healthcare in Sweden.
Healthcare
Everyone who is granted a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive is offered a health examination that does not cost anything. You will receive an invitation with an appointment from the healthcare centre.
As an adult you are only entitled to emergency care and care that cannot wait. It is the healthcare system that determines what care you can receive, not the Swedish Migration Agency. Children (under the age of 18) are entitled to all medical care.
Always turn primarily to your nearest healthcare centre if you become ill. You should contact a hospital if you become acutely ill or have an accident.
Film tip – Healthcare
See the film Healthcare
External link, opens in new window.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
Dental care
As an adult, you have the right to emergency dental care and dental care that cannot wait. You should always turn to the Public Dental Service for dental care. When the Public Dental Service is closed, you should primarily contact an emergency dentist who is connected to the Public Dental Service and, secondly, another emergency dental clinic.
Maternal care
At the midwife clinic, midwives work with health screenings for women who are pregnant. These visits are free of charge. As a woman, you have access to free contraception advice as well as free antenatal care. You also have the right to care in case of abortion but you then pay the same fee as those who live permanently in Sweden.
Costs for healthcare and medicine
To get cheaper medical care, dental care and medicine on prescription, you need to show your residence permit card (UT-card).
Visits to doctors at a healthcare centre or dentist in the Public Dental Service costs 50 SEK if you show your UT-card. The same cost applies to the majority of prescription medication. Visits to a nurse or physiotherapist cost 25 SEK.
Healthcare may require you to pay the full cost of care unless you can demonstrate that you are a refugee under the Temporary Protection Directive.
Emergency room visits to hospitals and specialist treatments you received after referral from the hospital cost more. You pay the same fee as people who are permanently residing in Sweden.
The care is mostly free for children, but in some healthcare regions, you have to pay a fee for emergency care even for children. Medication for children under 18 years of age is free if it has been prescribed.
High-cost protection
If during the course of six months you have paid more than 400 SEK for doctor visits, sick trips and prescription medicine, you can apply for a special grant. The Swedish Migration Agency can then reimburse you for any costs that exceed SEK 400.
Emergency visits to healthcare facilities and dental services costs are not covered by the 400 SEK rule. Also, prescription drugs that cost more than 50 SEK are not included in this rule. However, you can apply for a special grant directly when you have had costs for emergency visits to hospitals or for medications that cost more than 50 SEK. In case of emergency visits, the Swedish Migration Agency can only grant a special grant for the part of the fee that exceeds SEK 50.
If you want to apply for a special grant, you need to submit receipts and prescription specifications that show what costs you have had and that they apply to you. The Swedish Migration Agency cannot reimburse any costs until you have paid them yourself.
Eyeglasses
In some cases, under the Temporary Protection Directive, persons in need of protection may be granted a special grant from the Swedish Migration Agency for the cost of glasses. If your application is granted, you will receive information in the decision about where to go to try out the glasses.
Children covered by the Temporary Protection Directive are entitled to an allowance from the region of up to 800 SEK for eyeglasses or contact lenses. This applies to children aged 8 to 19 years. The different healthcare regions handle this in different ways. Contact the healthcare services where you and the child live to check what applies there. If the child needs eyeglasses that cost more than the allowance covers, it is possible to apply for a special grant from the Swedish Migration Agency for the excess cost.
Healthcare advice
At 1177.se
External link. there is medical advice available in various languages, including Ukrainian. You can also call 1177 Vårdguiden and receive personal advice from medical professionals 24 hours a day. Those who answer these calls speak Swedish or English. For example, if you are unsure if you should go to a doctor, you can call 1177 and describe how you feel. You can also call to ask other questions about your or your children's health.
Support from the healthcare centre
If you feel mentally unwell, you can get help and support from the healthcare system, for example in the form of counselling. You should at firsthand contact your health centre. In an emergency situation, you should call 112.
If you need assistive devices such as wheelchairs, crutches or hearing aids, it is also the health centre you should turn to for an initial assessment. It is the person providing the care who decides what type of assistive devices you are entitled to.
Show up for appointments and cancel appointments
If you have an appointment with a healthcare provider, it is important that you keep the appointment. If you are unable to come to a scheduled visit, you must tell the clinic in question no later than 24 hours before the visit. Otherwise, you may have to pay a fee for failing to show up for the visit. It is overall very important to arrive on time for appointments in Sweden.
