Health care

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Swedish Refugee Law Center Visit Website

During the asylum process and until the asylum seeker leaves Sweden or is granted a residence permit, they are entitled to a free medical examination, emergency health care and urgent medical or dental care that cannot be “postponed” (“vård som inte kan anstå”). They are also entitled to gynaecological and prenatal care, including health care on the occasion of childbirth, as well as health care in accordance with the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act (smittskyddslagen).^[1]

Children and teenage asylum seekers under the age of 18 are entitled to the same health care as all other children living in the county council area where they are seeking treatment.^[2]

County councils are the authorities responsible for primary health care centres (vårdcentralen), hospitals and the National Dental Service (Folktandvården).

As far as possible the health care should be given in accordance with the wishes of the patient. However, in the end, it is the medical condition of the patient that determines which medical staff is best suited for the patient. The patient can wish for a certain doctor or a doctor of a certain gender, but there is no absolute right for such. The patient can always decline the offered health care and contact another health care centre.[3]

Should there be a need for health care beyond the free medical examination, mentioned above, patient fees (co-ays) may differ depending on the county council, region and type of care involved. But in general asylum seekers pay SEK 50 (€ 4.36) to see a doctor at the district health centre or to receive medical care after obtaining a referral. Other medical care, such as with a nurse or physical therapist, costs SEK 25 (€ 2.18) per visit. Medical transportation costs SEK 40 (€ 3.49). Gynaecological and prenatal care, including health care on the occasion of childbirth, as well as health care in accordance with the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act is free of charge. The fee for emergency care at a hospital varies from county to county. Asylum seekers pay no more than SEK 50 (€ 4.36) for prescription drugs. Children are in most cases entitled to healthcare free of charge until they turn 18 years old. Dental care is free of charge for children until they turn 23 years old. However, there may be a patient fee (co-ays) for emergency care for children in some of the regions.^[4]

If an asylum seeker pays more than SEK 400 (€ 34.92) for visits to a doctor, medical transportation and prescription drugs within 6 months, they can apply for a special allowance. The Migration Agency can compensate for costs over SEK 400. The “400 SEK rule” applies individually for adults and common for siblings under 18. The cost of emergency medical or dental care is not covered.^[5]

As mentioned above, the health care an asylum seeker is entitled to is limited to urgent medical or dental care that cannot be “postponed” (“vård som inte kan anstå”). It is the treating physician or dentist that makes the assessment if the person seeking health care is in need of health care that cannot be postponed. Critics highlight that the concept of “health care that cannot be postponed” is inexplicit and difficult to interpret for the health care staff.[6] Transkulturellt Centrum (a part of the County Council of Stockholm, Region Stockholm) has expressed concern that persons seeking health care rarely get questions about torture and health care staff are seldomly educated in recognising, documenting and treating injuries of torture.[7] This means that the access to treatment for injuries of torture in practice is limited and depending on which physician or dentist that medically examines the asylum seeker.

The new Swedish Government, following the general election in September 2022, has proposed that employees who come in contact with persons living in Sweden with an expulsion order should report these persons to the police or the Swedish Migration Agency. Critics point out that this is not in accordance with the health care ethics and could risk that persons in need of health care wait even longer before contacting a health care provider and could by then be even sicker when getting the medical examination.[8] The public inquiry that was analysing the question ended up suggesting that some government agencies should have to give information to the Police when having information about persons staying in Sweden without permit and not, as was foreseen, a general obligation to do so for all employees in public sector.[9]

^{[1] Section 6 of Law (2008:344) on health care for asylum seekers etc. (lag (2008:344) om hälso- och sjukvård åt      asylsökande m.fl.) section 7 of Law  (2013: 407) on health care for certain foreigners staying in Sweden without the necessary permits (Lag (2013:407) om hälso- och sjukvård till vissa utlänningar som vistas i Sverige utan nödvändiga tillstånd), chapter 7, section 3 of The Communicable Diseases Act (2004:168) (Smittskyddslagen (2004:168).}

^{[2] 1177 Vårdguiden, ‘Healthcare in Sweden for asylum-seekers, people with no papers and people in hiding’, available here.}

^{[3] Västra Götalandsregionen, ‘Rättigheter i mötet med vården’, 21 August 2023, available in Swedish here.}

^{[4] 1177 Vårdguiden, ‘Healthcare in Sweden for asylum-seekers, people with no papers and people in hiding’, available here.}

^{[5] Migration Agency, ‘Fees for medical care’, available here.}

^{[6] Läkare Utan Gränser, ‘Ge asylsökande och papperslösa vård på lika villkor’, 28 January 2018, available in Swedish here.}

^{[7] Transkulturellt Centrum, ‘Tortyrskadade patienter’, available in Swedish here.}

^{[8]AftonBladet, ‘Vi kommer att vägra ange våra patienter’, 21 December 2022, availble in Swedish here.}

^{[9] SOU 2024:80, Vissa åtgärder för stärkt återvändandeverksamhet och utlänningskontroll, 26 November 2024, avalible in Swedish here.}