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Health insurance: asking what's covered

What you say when HR explains the work health insurance, when you ask about fees in public care, and when you call the insurer.

Many Swedish employers give staff private health insurance, but nobody explains how it fits with the public system. Follow Noah from welcome week to his first call to the insurer about a bad knee.

A quiet, empty hospital corridor with medical equipment and a scale.
Photo: Juan Moccagatta on Pexels
  1. 1

    Vi har en sjukvårdsförsäkring för alla anställda.

    We have health insurance for all employees.

    Tip: 'All employed' = all employees; the participle works as a noun.

  2. 2

    Vad innebär det i praktiken?

    What does that mean in practice?

    Tip: 'Inbear' = involve, mean.

  3. 3

    Du kan få snabbare tid hos en specialist.

    You can get a quicker appointment with a specialist.

    Tip: An appointment is 'a time'.

  4. 4

    Kostar den något för mig?

    Does it cost me anything?

    Tip: Insurance is an en-word, so 'it' is the en-form.

  5. 5

    Företaget betalar premien.

    The company pays the premium.

    Tip: Both nouns are in the definite form.

  6. 6

    Den räknas som en förmån, så du skattar lite för den.

    It counts as a perk, so you pay a bit of tax on it.

    Tip: 'Count as' is passive-form. The verb 'to tax' is used for paying tax.

  7. 7

    Betyder det att jag inte ska gå till vårdcentralen längre?

    Does that mean I shouldn't go to the health centre anymore?

    Tip: In the that-clause, 'not' goes before the verb. 'Longer' = anymore.

  8. 8

    Den är ett komplement.

    It's a complement.

    Tip: Something extra, not a replacement.

  9. 9

    Vid akuta besvär går du till vårdcentralen eller akuten som vanligt.

    With acute problems, you go to the health centre or A&E as usual.

    Tip: 'At acute troubles'. Verb before 'you' after the opening phrase.

  10. 10

    Hur mycket kostar det att gå till vårdcentralen?

    How much does it cost to go to the health centre?

    Tip: 'It' + infinitive, like English.

  11. 11

    Det beror på regionen, men det är inte så dyrt.

    It depends on the region, but it's not that expensive.

    Tip: 'Not so' = not that. Adjective gets -t after 'it'.

  12. 12

    Man betalar aldrig mer än ett visst belopp på ett år.

    You never pay more than a certain amount in a year.

    Tip: 'Certain' gets -t with an ett-word. 'In a year' uses the preposition 'on'.

  13. 13

    Sen får du ett frikort, och då är besöken gratis resten av perioden.

    Then you get a free card, and visits are free for the rest of the period.

    Tip: Two inversions: verb before subject after 'then' both times.

  14. 14

    Gäller det medicin också?

    Does that apply to medicine too?

    Tip: 'Apply to' = one verb, no preposition.

  15. 15

    Det finns ett separat högkostnadsskydd för läkemedel.

    There's a separate high-cost protection for medicine.

    Tip: Adjective doesn't add -t because it already ends in -t.

  16. 16

    Tandvården är en annan historia.

    Dental care is another story.

    Tip: Same idiom as in English.

  17. 17

    Bra att veta.

    Good to know.

    Tip: No subject or verb needed.

  18. 18

    Ska jag spara kvittona?

    Should I keep the receipts?

    Tip: 'Save' = keep. Ett-word plural, definite: -na.

  19. 19

    Spara dem för säkerhets skull.

    Keep them just in case.

    Tip: 'For safety's sake' = just in case.

  20. 20

    Jag har en sjukvårdsförsäkring via min arbetsgivare.

    I have health insurance through my employer.

    Tip: 'Via' works like 'through' here.

  21. 21

    Jag har haft ont i knät i flera veckor.

    I've had pain in my knee for several weeks.

    Tip: 'Have pain in the knee' = it hurts. 'For' a period = 'in'.

  22. 22

    Har du varit hos en läkare för det tidigare?

    Have you seen a doctor about it before?

    Tip: 'Been at a doctor' = seen a doctor.

  23. 23

    Nej, det här är första gången.

    No, this is the first time.

    Tip: No article before 'first time'.

  24. 24

    Vi gör en skadeanmälan direkt i telefon.

    We'll make a claim right now on the phone.

    Tip: 'In phone' = on the phone, no article.

  25. 25

    Jag kan boka in dig hos en fysioterapeut redan i veckan.

    I can book you in with a physiotherapist this week.

    Tip: 'Already in the week' = as soon as this week.

  26. 26

    Behöver jag en remiss?

    Do I need a referral?

    Tip: Yes/no question: verb first.

  27. 27

    Det ordnar vi.

    We'll sort that out.

    Tip: Object first, then verb, then subject.

  28. 28

    Vad täcker försäkringen egentligen?

    What does the insurance actually cover?

    Tip: The adverb at the end means 'actually'.

  29. 29

    Finns det något som inte ingår?

    Is there anything that isn't included?

    Tip: 'Go in' = be included.

  30. 30

    Akut vård och tandvård ingår inte.

    Emergency care and dental care aren't included.

    Tip: 'Go in not' = aren't included.

  31. 31

    Besvär som du hade innan du fick försäkringen kan vara undantagna.

    Problems you had before you got the insurance may be excluded.

    Tip: 'Troubles' is the same in singular and plural. The participle takes -a in plural.

  32. 32

    Har jag någon självrisk?

    Do I have an excess?

    Tip: 'Any' in questions.

  33. 33

    Det står i dina villkor.

    It's in your terms and conditions.

    Tip: 'It stands' = it says, it's written.

  34. 34

    Nu känns det mycket tryggare.

    Now I feel much more reassured.

    Tip: Literally 'now it feels much safer'. A very Swedish feeling.