Information on user payments for hospital treatment, pregnancy and birth

You may be entitled to necessary treatment during your stay in Denmark, if:

• you are an EU citizen with a valid European Health Insurance Card (the blue EU health card).
• you are British insured with a valid British CRA EHIC sand GHIC.
• you as a third-country national meet certain conditions: you may be entitled to receive necessary treatment during your stay in Denmark if:

• • you are a third-country national with refugee or stateless status in another member state or a co-insured family member.
  • you are a third-country national who is registered and insured as a co-insured of an EU/EEA, Swiss or British citizen in another member state.
  • you are a third-country national residing in another Nordic country (Norway, Sweden, Finland or Iceland).

The treating doctor in Denmark will assess whether you need treatment while you are in Denmark.

If the doctor assesses that you need treatment during your stay, you – as a pregnant woman – are entitled to free prenatal check-ups and treatment/birth against:

• presentation of a valid blue EU health card
• presentation of British CRA EHIC, GHIC
• or documentation that the conditions for third-country nationals are met.

The doctor may also assess that you can travel to your country of residence and receive treatment/birth there.

You must fill out a form the first time you visit the hospital. We will use the information in the form to collect payment from your home country. You can get the form in the hospital department. You can see the form at this page https://RN.dk/graviditet-priser – but wait to fill it out until you receive it from the hospital department.

Even if you are a resident of an EU/EEA country Switzerland or the UK and have a valid European Health Insurance Card (the blue EU health card or the CRA EHIC, GHIC), you are not entitled to free planned treatment in Denmark. You can – for a fee and if there is capacity at the hospital – receive planned treatment.

If you want planned treatment in Denmark, the following generally applies:

• You must have been issued with a prior authorisation (S2) for planned treatment. Issuance of the prior authorisation (S2) is assessed by the health insurance of your country of insurance/country of residence, and it is the country of insurance/country of residence that assesses whether they will pay (in whole or in part) for your planned treatment in Denmark.
  When treatment is provided based on a valid S2 authorisation, you do not have to pay the costs of the treatment yourself. The North Denmark Region seeks reimbursement from the foreign health insurance via the Danish Patient Safety Agency. You must always contact your country of residence yourself and apply for at prior authorisation (S2 guarantee). The S2 guarantee/payment must be in place before the actual birth.
  There are different procedures for applying for prior authorisation/S2 guarantee in the different European member states. You can find the contact point for your country of residence here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/health/planned-healthcare/get-more-info/index_da.htm
• You can purchase access to healthcare services in Denmark yourself.
  If you wish to purchase healthcare services in Denmark without an S2 guarantee, the following applies:

• • You must have a referral from a doctor for hospital treatment.
  • You must pay for the treatment yourself, but it may be possible to get a refund of part of the costs. (Does not apply to Switzerland and the UK). In certain cases, you can apply for subsidies from your European country of residence. You can read more here: https://stps.dk/borger-og-patient/det-blaa-eu-sygesikringskort/koeb-af-behandling-i-eu-eller-eoes
    You must fill out and sign an information form in connection with your first visit to the hospital. We will use the information in the form to collect payment from your home country or you. You can get the form in the hospital department. You can see the form at this page https://RN.dk/graviditet-priser – but wait to fill it out until you receive it from the hospital department.

All countries that are not EU/EEA member states are referred to as third countries (if you are unsure about your country, you can see and overview of EU countries on this page. Countries that are not on the list are referred to as third countries:

https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries_da).

I you are from at third country and you do not have a Danish CPR-number and a valid yellow health card you must pay for pregnancy tests and childbirth at a public hospital in Denmark. However, you are entitled to free childbirth at the hospital if you give birth outside the due date – i.e. before week 37+0 and after week 41+6.

Special circumstances if you have applied for family reunification

If you have applied for family reunification and have a receipt from the Danish Immigration Service of an ongoing family reunification case, then you will not be charged for giving birth at the hospital. You must still pay for all medical examinations leading up to the birth itself – both planned and emergency examinations. However, you will not have to pay for consultations that are medically assessed as health measures, treatments or procedures that have a direct or natural connection to the birth itself.

You must send a copy of the receipt from the Danish Immigration Service to the Regional Office. This receipt is documentation of your right to give birth free of charge. You may send the receipt to us in one of these ways:

• If you or your spouse has MitID: Send the copy via secure email on the Patient Office website: https://rn.dk/Sundhed/Dine-regtjering-som-patient/Faa-vejledning-hos-Patientkontoret
• If you do not have MitID: Send the copy as a paper copy to the Regional Office
• You can also hand it in paper form in the Information in the Regional Office

Regional Office

Attn: Patient Office

Niels Bohrs Vej 30,

9220 Aalborg Øst

Tel. 97 64 80 00

You may be entitled to a special health insurance card while waiting for Danish residential registration

As a non-EU citizen, you can apply for a special health insurance card that entitles you to free healthcare in Denmark even though you are not yet registered at an address in Denmark. This requires that you are insured under a family member who does have a valid a yellow health insurance card, and that you have applied for family reunification. Furthermore, as a third-country national, you must be og have previously been covered by public health insurance in another EU/EEA member state.

It is your responsibility to check whether you are entitled to a special health insurance card. Contact Udbetaling Danmark, International Sygesikring (special health insurance card) at tel: +45 70 12 80 81 or go to www.lifeindenmark.borger.dk and search for “special health insurance card”.

If you are registered at a residential address in Greenland and want treatment in Denmark, you must apply for a guarantee for the payment in Greenland. You can contact the Greenland coordinator for further information:

Greenland Coordination, Rigshospitalet

by Pauline Thomsen and Tanja Grønberg

Mail: rh@peqqik.gl

Tel: 35 45 88 68

You must fill out and sign an information form in connection with your first visit to the hospital. We will use the information in the form to collect payment from your home country. You can see the form on this page https://RN.dk/graviditet-priser – but wait to fill it out until you receive it from the hospital department.

We will send you invitations to attend antenatal appointments as we encourage all pregnant women to accept all antenatal care offered by the public healthcare system. It is the best way to monitor both you and your child's well-being during pregnancy. Please be aware that you might be charged entirely or partly for these appointments.

If your pregnancy requires multiple appointments at the hospital due to your health or the health of your unborn child, you will be charged for these appointments as well.

Generally, you will also be charged for any emergency treatment related to your pregnancy. However, emergency treatment may be free of charge in some situations.

During your first visit to the hospital, you will be asked to fill in a form where you consent to pay for the treatment you are receiving at the hospital. You can see the form on this page: https://rn.dk/graviditet-priser – but wait to fill it out until you receive it from the hospital department.

You will receive an itemized bill after you have given birth.

If you do not wish to use the services offered by a public hospital, you can contact a private clinic for your antenatal care. You will be charged for these services as well. In the North Jutland Region, it is not possible to give birth in a private hospital.

You will be charged for any additional examinations or care you may need after giving birth.

A few days after delivery, your child will need to undergo a heel prick test (small blood sample) and a hearing screening. The hospital will not charge you for these tests.

The amount due will depend on which examinations and treatments you received during and after your pregnancy, and whether you need to pay for giving birth at the hospital.

You will receive an itemized bill after the child is born.

If you have difficulty paying the full amount in one instalment, an instalment plan may be available. You can call our Settlement Office (Afregningskontor) on tel. 23 72 04 26 og by email: afregningudland@rn.dk

If you need emergency care during pregnancy or birth and you cannot pay

It is important to highlight that you should contact the hospital if you need emergency care during your pregnancy or during birth. You will not be refused treatment if you need urgent care.

It depends on a medical assessment whether your condition is acute.

We will examine your options for paying for the treatment afterwards.

You can contact the hospitals at the following numbers:

• Aalborg University Hospital, Hospitalsbyen, Maternity ward, tel. 97 66 31 08
• Aalborg University Hospital, Thisted, Maternity ward, tel. 97 65 00 70
• North Jutland Regional Hospital, Hjørring, Maternity ward, tel. 97 64 06 86.

If your child needs emergency treatment at the hospital, it will always be free of charge, and you will not receive a bill for your child's treatment. In Denmark, no payment is charged for emergency hospital treatment for children under the age of 18.

It depends on a medical assessment whether your child’s condition is acute.

If you have questions about the invoice and payment, call Patientafregning for the North Denmark Region at tel.: +45 23 72 04 26 or send an email to afregningudland@rn.dk

You can find the estimated prices on examinations and treatments here: https://RN.dk/graviditet-priser.

If you want to read more about the legal basis, you can find it here (in Danish): https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/retsinfo/2019/9610

You are welcome to contact Patientkontoret (Patient office) if you need guidance with regards to your rights.