An insight into the Icelandic healthcare system

The Icelandic healthcare system stands out not only for its quality, but also for its wide reach. The country has universal healthcare, which is largely financed by taxes (85%) and to a lesser extent by service charges (15%). There is almost no private health insurance and no private hospitals in Iceland. This system, which may sound strange or even “socialist” to most Western countries, ranks 15th in the world according to the WTO. Anyone who has lived in Iceland for more than six months is entitled to healthcare. This includes treatment for mental health problems, maternity care, long-term care and most other medical needs. The Swapp agency can guide you through the entire process of receiving care in an Icelandic hospital or simply introduce you to the public administrators of the system.

Healthcare in Iceland, a new approach to Medicine

People move to Iceland for a variety of reasons, the healthcare system often being one of them. With an extremely low infant mortality rate, it is a good choice for a country in which to raise a family. There is a very good doctor to patient ratio. There are three to four doctors for every 1000 patients, which is the highest ratio in the world.

The Icelandic health system consists of seven districts with different health centres, the so-called heilsugaeslustod. All Icelandic hospitals are financed by the government. Although there are numerous private clinics and other medical facilities, there are no private hospitals in Iceland.

The high degree of sufficiency of the system gives Icelanders the highest life expectancy of all European countries at 83 years. The country’s centre of clinical excellence is the Landspitali University Hospital in the capital Reykjavik, which alone accounts for 70% of the total national budget for general hospital services. Although Iceland’s health outcomes are among the best in the OECD countries, the healthcare system faces the challenge of ensuring the financial sustainability of the current system in the context of an ageing population.

This is the same challenge that many other countries face, with healthcare costs rising every year as a percentage of GDP, making the system unsustainable in the long term. The statistics show that the number of visits to specialists has risen sharply. They have risen from 373,878 in 2003 to 658,855 in recent years. This is much more costly for the state and a worrying development.

However, if you are just visiting Iceland, you should know that citizens of the European Economic Area are covered for emergency medical treatment on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card. Citizens from other countries can receive medical assistance, but must pay the full amount. Normally a medical consultation costs around 6000-10,000Kr.

The main health problems resulting from being in Iceland are hypothermia and frostbite, both of which are caused by exposure to cold. Hypothermia begins with shivering, loss of judgement and clumsiness, while frostbite is caused by freezing and manifests as chilblains (white, numb patches of skin).

Get in touch with Icelandic professionals

If you would like comprehensive advice on the Icelandic health model, please contact the Swapp Agency . We are a leading group of experts in various fields. Our professional team will be happy to help you understand the system, whatever your interest. Regardless of your needs regarding the Icelandic healthcare system, we are ready to answer all your questions.