Swedish Healthcare for Expats: What's Covered and What's Not
Complete guide to healthcare in Sweden for expats. Learn how the Swedish healthcare system works, what's covered, costs, how to register, and when you need private insurance.
Swedish Healthcare for Expats: What's Covered and What's Not
Sweden's healthcare system is world-renowned, but as an expat, understanding how to access it—and what it actually costs—is essential. This guide explains everything you need to know.
How Swedish Healthcare Works
Swedish healthcare is primarily publicly funded through taxes. It's managed by 21 regions (regioner), which means there can be slight differences in services and costs depending on where you live.
Key Principles
| Principle | What it Means |
|---|---|
| Universal access | Everyone legally in Sweden can access care |
| Needs-based | Most urgent cases prioritized |
| Subsidized | High costs are capped annually |
| Decentralized | Regions manage their own healthcare |
The System Structure
- 1177 Vårdguiden - Healthcare information and phone advice
- Vårdcentral - Primary care center (your first stop)
- Specialist care - Requires referral usually
- Hospital (Sjukhus) - Emergency and advanced care
- Pharmacy (Apotek) - Prescriptions and medications
Registering for Healthcare
Requirements
To access subsidized Swedish healthcare, you need:
- Personnummer - Essential for full access
- Registration at a vårdcentral - Choose your health center
- Valid residence - Legal right to be in Sweden
How to Register
- Get your personnummer from Skatteverket
- Choose a vårdcentral - Use 1177.se to find options in your area
- Register online via 1177.se (requires BankID) or visit in person
- You're done - Can now book appointments
Without Personnummer
If you're waiting for your personnummer:
| Status | Healthcare Access |
|---|---|
| EU citizen with EHIC | Emergency and necessary care |
| Working (with samordningsnummer) | Limited access |
| Tourist | Emergency only, full cost |
| Asylum seeker | Emergency and care that can't wait |
Practical tip: Bring your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) if from an EU country. It provides access to necessary care while waiting for personnummer.
Healthcare Costs
Swedish healthcare is subsidized, not free. Here's what you'll pay:
Doctor Visits (2026)
| Visit Type | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Vårdcentral (GP) | 200-300 SEK |
| Specialist | 400 SEK |
| Emergency room | 400-450 SEK |
| Home visit | 500 SEK |
| Physiotherapist | 200-300 SEK |
| Psychologist/therapist | 200-300 SEK |
The High-Cost Protection (Högkostnadsskydd)
Sweden caps your annual healthcare costs:
| Type | Annual Cap | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare visits | 1,400 SEK | 12 months |
| Prescriptions | 2,850 SEK | 12 months |
How it works:
- Pay for each visit/prescription
- Amounts accumulate on your "frikort" (free card)
- Once you hit the cap, care/prescriptions are free for 12 months
- Period resets 12 months after your first visit/purchase
Get your frikort: Automatic through 1177.se or ask at your vårdcentral.
Hospital Stays
| Type | Daily Cost |
|---|---|
| Inpatient care | ~120 SEK/day |
| Maximum per year | Included in 1,400 SEK cap |
Free Services
Some services are completely free:
| Service | Free For |
|---|---|
| Preventive child health | All children |
| School health | Students |
| Prenatal care | Pregnant women |
| Dental care | Under 24 years |
| Mammograms | Women 40-74 (screening program) |
| Certain vaccinations | As per program |
Dental Care (Tandvård)
Dental care works differently from general healthcare:
Costs
| Treatment | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Check-up + cleaning | 800-1,200 SEK |
| Filling | 600-1,500 SEK |
| Root canal | 3,000-6,000 SEK |
| Crown | 6,000-12,000 SEK |
| Extraction | 800-1,500 SEK |
Dental Subsidy (Tandvårdsbidrag)
Adults receive an annual subsidy:
| Age | Annual Subsidy |
|---|---|
| 24-29 | 600 SEK |
| 30-64 | 300 SEK |
| 65+ | 600 SEK |
High-cost protection for dental:
- Costs above 3,000 SEK: 50% subsidy
- Costs above 15,000 SEK: 85% subsidy
Finding a Dentist
- Folktandvården - Public dental service (often cheaper)
- Private dentists - Use 1177.se to find
- Dental tourism - Some Swedes travel to neighboring countries
Using 1177
1177 is your healthcare hub in Sweden:
1177.se Website
- Find healthcare providers near you
- Book appointments (with BankID)
- View your medical records
- See prescriptions and frikort status
- Access test results
- Send messages to healthcare providers
1177 Phone Service
Call 1177 for:
- Healthcare advice 24/7
- Help deciding where to seek care
- Information about symptoms
- Available in Swedish (English interpreters available)
When to Call 1177 vs. Go to Emergency
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Non-urgent question | 1177 website |
| Unsure if urgent | Call 1177 |
| Urgent but not life-threatening | Vårdcentral or call 1177 |
| Life-threatening | Call 112 (emergency) |
Finding Care
Choosing a Vårdcentral
You can choose any vårdcentral in your region. Consider:
- Location - Close to home or work
- Opening hours - Some have evening hours
- Languages - Some have English-speaking staff
- Drop-in availability - Some offer walk-in appointments
- Reviews - Check ratings on 1177.se
Getting Referrals
For specialist care, you typically need a referral from your vårdcentral. The process:
- Visit your GP (allmänläkare) at vårdcentral
- GP evaluates and writes referral if needed
- Specialist appointment scheduled (can take weeks/months)
- For faster access, consider private healthcare
Waiting Times
Swedish healthcare can have long waiting times for non-urgent care:
| Care Type | Typical Wait |
|---|---|
| GP appointment | Same day - 1 week |
| Specialist (referred) | 2 weeks - 6 months |
| Non-emergency surgery | Months |
The Care Guarantee (Vårdgaranti):
- GP appointment within 3 days
- Specialist within 90 days
- Treatment within 90 days of decision
If times are exceeded, you can seek care in another region.
Emergency Care
When to Go to Emergency (Akuten)
Go directly to emergency for:
- Chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Severe injuries
- Signs of stroke
- Severe allergic reactions
- Severe bleeding
- Unconsciousness
- Other life-threatening situations
Emergency Room Process
- Arrival - Check in at reception
- Triage - Nurse assesses urgency
- Wait - Based on urgency, not arrival time
- Treatment - See doctor when your turn comes
- Payment - Bill sent home (400-450 SEK)
Expect long waits for non-urgent cases (4-8 hours is common).
112 - Emergency Number
Call 112 for:
- Medical emergencies
- Fire
- Police
- Rescue services
Operators speak English.
Private Healthcare
Many expats supplement public healthcare with private insurance or pay-out-of-pocket for faster access.
Why Go Private?
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Shorter wait times | Days instead of months |
| More appointment flexibility | Evenings, weekends |
| Longer appointments | More time with doctor |
| English-speaking doctors | Easier communication |
| Second opinions | Quick specialist access |
Private Clinics in Sweden
| Clinic | Location | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Aleris | Multiple cities | Full service |
| Capio | Multiple cities | Full service |
| Sophiahemmet | Stockholm | Full service |
| Stockholms Privatläkargrupp | Stockholm | Various specialists |
| Capio Artro Clinic | Stockholm | Orthopedics |
Private Costs (Without Insurance)
| Service | Private Cost |
|---|---|
| GP visit | 1,500-2,500 SEK |
| Specialist | 2,000-4,000 SEK |
| MRI scan | 3,000-6,000 SEK |
| Minor surgery | 10,000-50,000 SEK |
Health Insurance Options
Employer Insurance (Sjukvårdsförsäkring)
Many Swedish employers offer private health insurance as a benefit:
Typical coverage:
- Quick access to specialists
- Private care for faster treatment
- Mental health support
- Physiotherapy
- Sometimes dental
Check with your employer - This is a common benefit in Sweden.
Individual Private Insurance
If not provided by employer:
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Euro Accident | 300-600 SEK | Full private care |
| If Sjukvård | 350-700 SEK | Full private care |
| Trygg-Hansa | 300-600 SEK | Full private care |
| Länsförsäkringar | 350-650 SEK | Full private care |
What to look for:
- No waiting period for existing conditions (if possible)
- Mental health coverage
- Dental included or separate
- International coverage if you travel
EU Citizens - EHIC
If from an EU/EEA country:
- EHIC provides access to public healthcare
- Same cost as Swedish residents
- Covers necessary care during temporary stay
- Not a substitute for full coverage when living in Sweden
Travel Insurance
For short stays or before personnummer:
- Most travel insurance covers emergency care
- Check your home country's travel insurance
- Consider international policies (Cigna, Allianz, etc.)
Mental Health Care
Public Mental Health
| Service | Access | Wait Time |
|---|---|---|
| Vårdcentral counseling | Self-referral | 1-4 weeks |
| Psychiatrist | GP referral | 2-6 months |
| Psychotherapy | GP referral | Months |
| Crisis services | Direct | Immediate |
Improving Access
- Online therapy - Kry, Min Doktor, Doktor24
- Private therapists - Faster but expensive (1,000-1,500 SEK/session)
- Company insurance - Often covers mental health
- Mindler/Ahum - Digital therapy platforms
Crisis Support
| Service | Contact |
|---|---|
| Suicide hotline | 90101 |
| Crisis chat | mind.se |
| BRIS (children) | 116 111 |
| Emergency | 112 |
Prescriptions and Pharmacies
Getting Prescriptions
- Doctor writes e-prescription (e-recept)
- Prescription stored digitally with your personnummer
- Pick up at any pharmacy (apotek)
- Show ID at pharmacy
Pharmacy Chains
| Chain | Notes |
|---|---|
| Apotek Hjärtat | Largest chain |
| Kronans Apotek | Wide network |
| Apoteket | Former state monopoly |
| Lloyds | UK-based chain |
| Apoteksgruppen | Independent pharmacies |
Prices: Same prescription costs the same at all pharmacies (regulated).
Prescription Costs
| Medication Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Most prescriptions | 0-2,850 SEK annually |
| After frikort | Free |
| Non-prescription | Market price |
Healthcare for Families
Prenatal Care (Mödravården)
Completely free:
- Midwife appointments throughout pregnancy
- Ultrasounds (2-3 during pregnancy)
- Classes and preparation
- Delivery and hospital stay
Child Healthcare (BVC)
Free for all children 0-6 years:
- Regular health check-ups
- Vaccinations
- Development monitoring
- Support for parents
Child Dental Care
Free dental care until age 24:
- Regular check-ups
- Treatment covered
- After 24, costs apply with subsidy
Summary
Swedish healthcare is excellent but requires understanding the system:
Key Takeaways
- Register at a vårdcentral as soon as you have personnummer
- Use 1177.se for information, bookings, and records
- Costs are capped at 1,400 SEK/year for visits, 2,850 SEK for prescriptions
- Dental is separate and more expensive
- Consider private insurance for faster access
- Emergency care is always available regardless of registration
Action Items for New Arrivals
- Apply for personnummer
- While waiting: Use EHIC (EU citizens) or travel insurance
- Register at nearby vårdcentral (via 1177.se)
- Check if employer provides health insurance
- Set up 1177.se access with BankID
- Find a dentist and book initial check-up
- Consider private insurance if faster care important
Planning your budget in Sweden? Use our Monthly Budget Planner to account for healthcare and insurance costs.
Plan Your Finances in Sweden
Use our free tools to calculate your salary and plan your budget.
Disclaimer
The information on this website is for general informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, statistics and regulations change frequently. For the most up-to-date information, please visit official sources such as Skatteverket, Migrationsverket, and Statistics Sweden (SCB).
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