Iceland Health - TravelPuppy

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Last updated : Nov 2007

Iceland Health

	Special Precautions	Certificate Required
Yellow Fever	No	No
Cholera	No	No
Typhoid and Polio	No	Not applicable
Malaria	No	Not applicable

Health care

On production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), if you or any of your dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during a visit to an EEA country or Switzerland, in most cases free or reduced cost necessary treatment is available. Each country has diverse rules about state medical provision. In some, treatment is free. In several countries you will have to pay part or all of the cost, and then claim a full or partial refund. The EHIC gives access to state provided medical treatment only and the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is recommended. Please note that the EHIC replaces the Form E111, which will no longer be valid after 31 December 2005. Some limitations apply, depending on your nationality. Please note that Swiss nationals are not covered by the EHIC in Iceland. People who do not have United Kingdom, EU or EEA nationality are covered for emergency treatment only.

There are medical centres and hospitals in all main towns and cities. If seeking treatment, go to a health centre or a doctor registered within the state scheme. You will have to pay a fee of IK R 700 for a doctor, which is not refundable and the full cost of any dental treatment is also required. Children under 16 have to pay only 25 %. Prescribed medicines can be acquired from any pharmacy. You must show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You will be charged a set amount depending on the type of medication prescribed. It is advised to ask the doctor for a generic drug if possible, as these are generally cheaper than brand name medicines. Patients can be admitted to hospitals only when they are referred by a doctor. However, in emergencies, patients may be admitted immediately to the hospital which is serving as the emergency hospital at the time. Hospital inpatient treatment is free if you show your EHIC.

All hospitals have brilliant standards of medical service. It is essential that patients must pay the full cost of ambulance transportation within Reykjavík. Elsewhere, the cost of ambulance transportation is restriction to a maximum of IKR 2,400. Non EEA nationals resident in the United Kingdom may also be covered for emergency health treatment in Iceland under a separate agreement. You must produce your NHS medical card. The emergency number for medical assistance is 112 (open 24 hours). More information can be obtained from the State Social Security Institute, Laugavegur 114, Reykjavík (telephone: 560 4400).

Other risks

Care should be taken as hypothermia is a huge risk.

Useful travel links
CDC	Official site of the US Centers for Disease Control
Lonely Planet Health	List of health precautions and tips for travellers
MASTA	The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers
No jet lag	All about jet lag. What is it and who gets it
SOS	International SOS
WHO	The official site of the World Health Organization