Iceland reimbursed nearly 967 million krónur for care outside the EEA
Friday 30th October 2026 on 17:46 in
Iceland
Icelandic Health Insurance reimbursed nearly 967 million krónur for illness and accidents outside the European Economic Area from 2016 to 2025, mbl.is reports. The largest single reimbursement during the period was more than 64.1 million krónur.
The figures were disclosed in a response by Health Minister Alma D. Möller to a question from Árni Helgason, an MP for the Independence Party, about reimbursements for medical costs outside the EEA.
There were 2,034 reimbursement claims over the 10-year period. The response noted that this was the number of claims, not the number of people; one person may submit several claims, including for the same incident.
Total payments were highest in 2022, at more than 232 million krónur. That year also saw the largest individual reimbursement. In 2025, payments totalled about 36.5 million krónur across 130 claims, with the largest reimbursement reaching nearly 6.8 million krónur.
The authorities do not separately record how much of the reimbursed costs related to underlying or chronic illnesses. The ministry therefore could not estimate the savings that would result from ending reimbursements for people with those conditions.
Helgason also asked whether the ministry had assessed the group’s ability to buy private insurance after legislation earlier in the year removed the general right to reimbursement. The ministry said it had reviewed travel insurance available on the private market while preparing the bill and had considered practices elsewhere in the Nordic countries, where public authorities generally do not reimburse medical costs outside the EEA.
The ministry has received concerns about the position of people with chronic illnesses and has met with the Association of Finance Companies to discuss insurers’ coverage of medical costs incurred while travelling outside the EEA.
The minister has extended Icelandic Health Insurance’s authority to reimburse costs related to illness and accidents outside the EEA until 30 September 2027. People with underlying conditions will remain eligible while the matter is examined further.