Health insurance: the key words
The words for Swedish healthcare costs: patient fees, high-cost protection, free card, and private health insurance through work.
Swedish healthcare is mostly paid for with taxes, but you still pay fees, and many jobs add private insurance on top. These words go from the public system and its fee ceiling to the private policy and its fine print.
- 1
en region
a region (runs healthcare)
Tip: Sweden's 21 county-level authorities that run hospitals and health centres.
- 2
den offentliga vården
public healthcare
Tip: Definite form with an adjective: the adjective takes -a and 'den' comes first.
- 3
privat vård
private healthcare
Tip: Clinics outside the public system. Some have agreements with the regional authority; some don't.
- 4
en patientavgift
a patient fee
Tip: What you pay per visit; the amount is set by each region.
- 5
ett besök
a visit
Tip: Ett-word. Also used for visiting friends.
- 6
akuten
the A&E, the emergency department
Tip: En-word, almost always in the definite form.
- 7
en remiss
a referral
Tip: From your health centre to a specialist or a test.
- 8
en väntetid
a waiting time
Tip: Compound of 'wait' + 'time'.
- 9
vårdgarantin
the care guarantee
Tip: En-word, used in the definite form. National rules on the maximum wait for contact, assessment and treatment.
- 10
en kö
a queue
Tip: Also used for waiting lists.
- 11
ett högkostnadsskydd
high-cost protection
Tip: A ceiling on what you pay in patient fees over twelve months.
- 12
ett frikort
a free card (after the ceiling)
Tip: Once you've reached the ceiling, further visits are free for the rest of the period.
- 13
ett recept
a prescription
Tip: Same word as a cooking recipe.
- 14
ett läkemedel
a medicine, a drug
Tip: The official word; in speech people also say 'medicin'.
- 15
ett apotek
a pharmacy
Tip: Ett-word.
- 16
en tandläkare
a dentist
Tip: Literally 'tooth doctor'.
- 17
ett tandvårdsbidrag
a dental care subsidy
Tip: A yearly sum from the state towards adult check-ups.
- 18
gratis
free (of charge)
Tip: Doesn't change form.
- 19
en sjukvårdsförsäkring
health insurance (private)
Tip: Private cover for faster planned care. Not the same as the social insurance for sick pay.
- 20
en förmån
a perk, a benefit (at work)
Tip: Taxable extras from your employer: health insurance, a company car.
- 21
ett försäkringsbolag
an insurance company
Tip: Ett-word because 'bolag' (company) is.
- 22
en premie
an insurance premium
Tip: What you pay monthly or yearly for the cover.
- 23
en självrisk
an excess, a deductible
Tip: Literally 'self-risk': the part you pay before the insurer pays.
- 24
att täcka
to cover (costs)
Tip: Same verb as covering something with a blanket.
- 25
ett undantag
an exclusion
Tip: Also just 'an exception'. Read these in your terms.
- 26
en skadeanmälan
an insurance claim
Tip: Literally 'damage report'. Also used for car and home insurance.
- 27
ett kvitto
a receipt
Tip: Keep them when you pay yourself.
- 28
att ersätta
to reimburse
Tip: Also means 'to replace'.
- 29
ett EU-kort
a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Tip: Free from Försäkringskassan; covers necessary care during trips in the EU.
- 30
en reseförsäkring
travel insurance
Tip: Often included in Swedish home insurance for shorter trips.