Regulations for the health fund
TELEMARK STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION SiTel REGULATIONS FOR THE HEALTH FUND AND REFUNDING OF FEES IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE DIRECTIONS
1.0. Purpose
SiTel’s main aim is to contribute positively to students’ life quality by means of health support provisions adapted to the needs of students. SiTel’s Health Fund and refunding arrangements for certain health-related expenses are meant to partly cover expenses incurred by students in cases of illness and other health problems. Provisions are on a solidarity basis, which means that students with large expenses may receive proportionally greater support than students with lesser expenses.
2.0. Who can apply for support?
Students with a valid student card or receipt for paid semester fees from Telemark University College (Høgskolen i Telemark) and Folkeuniversitetet i Telemark.
Only expenses incurred while the student belongs to SiTel are pertinent to the present Regulations.
The spring semester is 1st January to 25th June.
The autumn semester is 15th August to 31st December.
Students who belong to SiTel in the spring and autumn semesters of the same calendar year may apply for support in relation to expenses incurred during the summer holidays.
3.0. Financing
The refund scheme and the Health Fund are financed by the semester fee. Funds are allocated during the budgeting process. Schemes are restricted to remain within the budgetary limits.
4.0. Students’ contributory fee
To secure that the means of the Health Fund and the refund scheme are spent in accordance with their purpose, a contributory fee, to be covered by the student for each calendar year, has been established.
For the calendar year the contributory fee is NOK 450 per year per student per scheme.
5.0. THE VARIOUS SUPPORT SCHEMES
5.1. Refunding of contributory fees (”egenandeler”) in relation to the Norwegian National Health Service (”Folketrygden”) fee card 1 and 2 (”egenandelskort”)
This scheme comprises paid contributory fees entered on the NHS fee card 1 and 2. (”Folketrygdens egenandelskort”); (for more information og to: helfo.no)
- doctors’ fees
- polyclinical treatment
- medicines on the”blue prescription form” (”blå resept”)
- transport expenses to and from the place of treatment
- physical therapy
- dental treatment, does not apply for standard procedure and routine controles
- rehabilitation stay
- various forms of treatment abroad
When a student incurs such expenses in excess of NOK 450 per calendar year, refunds are paid up to the amount that the Norwegian National Health Service currently defines as the “ceiling” for total contributory health expenses. Expenses above this maximum will be fully covered by the National Health Service.
All fees must be entered on the NHS fee card if they are to be approved.
The deadline for refund applications is 31st January in the following calendar year.
5.2. The Health Fund
Individual students may apply for grants for up to NOK 4,000 per year from the Health Fund. The student must cover NOK 450 per year for the relevant purpose before the application is considered. As a general rule 70 per cent of approved expenses are granted. Treatment must always be carried out in the least expensive, proper manner.
NOTE! A valid student card must always be enclosed with the application.
6.0. APPLICATIONS ARE INVITED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
6.2.1. Psychologist
Treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist in private practice, not covered by the National Health Service. Applications must be documented by a specified receipt.
6.2.2. Physiotherapy
Treatment by physiotherapist must be prescribed by a doctor or referral by the health service office (”trygdekontoret”). The prescription or referral must be enclosed with the application, together with a specified receipt.
6.2.3. Chiropractor
Treatment by chiropractor is also covered by the Health Fund.
6.2.4. Transport expenses
If an injury makes it impossible to use public transport between the place of living and place of study, students may apply for transport expenses to attend lectures and/or examinations. The necessity for special transport arrangements must be documented by a doctor’s certificate (“legeerklæring”).
6.2.5. Extra home journeys during convalescence
This applies in particular to home journeys after hospitalization, but also other special cases may be subject of an application. The necessity of convalescence must be documented by a doctor’s certificate (“legeerklæring”).
6.2.6. Expensive illness or injury
In exceptional cases limited financial support is granted for treatment of illness or injury. Applications must be documented as specified in an agreement with SiTel’s official in charge.
6.2.7. Testing for reading and writing difficulties
The Health Fund refunds expenses for testing for reading and writing difficulties. The application must be documented by a specified receipt.
6.2.8. Spectacles/lenses
Grants of up to NOK 500 are given for new lenses if a certificate from an ophthalmologist or optician states that new lenses are necessary. Grants for contact lenses will be considered only if an ophthalmologist or optician declares that new lenses are less than satisfactory as an alternative. In the application the certificate from the ophthalmologist or optician must be enclosed together with a specified receipt. The contributory fee of NOK 450 will be waived.
7.0. HOW TO APPLY FOR SUPPORT FROM THE HEALTH FUND
Applications to the Health Fund must be made in writing on a special form, which can be obtained from the SiTel office at your place of study or from www.sitel.no. Applications are handled continuously and decisions will be registered in writing. A valid student card (or a certified copy) and valid receipts must always be enclosed with the application. Incompletely documented applications will be returned.
Applications relating to expenses less than NOK 450 will not be treated.
8.0. Opportunities for appeal
8.1. Appeals must be presented in writing within two months after a decision has been made.
8.2. Appeals should be addressed to the officer in charge at SiTel.
8.3. Appeals are decided by SiTel’s Chief Administrative Director.
9.0. Validity
The present Regulations shall be in force from 9th September 2009. The Regulations may be revised by SiTel’s Board of Directors, but with effect for future applications only.
