Healthcare

Healthcare in Sweden

Vårdcentral, 1177, fees, pharmacies, dental care and emergencies.

Understanding Swedish healthcareHealthcare in Sweden is public, run by regions, and starts with a phone call to 1177 or a visit to your vårdcentral. It is cheap once you are registered — but not free, and not automatic before registration.
Choosing and registering at a vårdcentralYour vårdcentral is your regular health centre. You choose it yourself — logging in to 1177 with BankID is the easiest way — and you can change later.
What is 1177?1177 is Sweden’s healthcare service by phone and online: nurse advice around the clock, booking, your medical records and messages to your clinic.
Booking a doctor's appointmentIn Sweden you rarely walk in to see a doctor. You call, use 1177 or the clinic’s app, and a nurse decides what kind of appointment you need.
Emergency or not? 112, 1177, 114 14, 113 13Four numbers every newcomer should save today — and which one to call when.
Fees and high-cost protectionWhat a visit costs, the yearly caps that protect you (high-cost protection), and what is not covered.
Pharmacies and prescriptionsPrescriptions are electronic and linked to your personnummer. Here is how to collect medicines and what they cost.
Dental careDental care is free for children and young people up to the year they turn 19. Adults pay, with a yearly grant and protection against very high costs.
Healthcare for childrenFrom birth to school age, BVC follows your child’s health and vaccinations. School health takes over after that. Covered medicines and dental care are free for children.
Healthcare for studentsYour rights depend on whether you are registered in Sweden. Fee-paying students usually have Kammarkollegiet insurance through their university; everyone else should plan for the time before registration.
Healthcare before you have a personnummerYou always have the right to urgent care — but until you are registered you may be charged the full cost. Plan for it.
Mental health and wellbeingMoving countries is hard. Feeling low, anxious or lonely is common — and there is help, in English and free of judgement.
Insurance and FörsäkringskassanFörsäkringskassan pays benefits like sickness benefit, parental benefit and child allowance. Whether you are covered depends on living or working here — not on having healthcare access.
Sick leave and medical certificatesCall in sick to your employer on day one. Your employer pays sick pay for two weeks; you need a medical certificate from day 8; Försäkringskassan takes over from day 15.

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Healthcare in Sweden