Health Insurance and Healthcare in Denmark Explained

Jump right in:

• How healthcare system work in Denmark
• Public healthcare in Denmark
• An overview of private health insurance
• How to find a doctor or dentist
• Giving birth in denmark

Danish healthcare facts

• The healthcare system is tax-funded, so no direct insurance costs apply for public healthcare.
• Denmark has its own health portal sundhed.dk where residents can follow their medical history, access prescriptions and communicate with doctors online.
• Denmark has an online system that stores all patients’ data. This can be accessed by several medical professionals, from doctors to nurses, even pharmacists.
• An at-home monitoring system called telehealth allows patients to videocall doctors from their homes. This includes equipment for patients to measure their own vital signs.
• GP’s is your first contact with the Danish healthcare system. They give prescriptions, contraception, vaccinations, and refer you to a specialist whenever needed.
• The overall satisfaction level with healthcare in Denmark is high.
• There is freedom to choose and be treated in any hospital of the country.
• Access to medical care differs depending on where you are in the country, which leads to an imbalance in care across the country.

Average wait time to see a doctor in Denmark

To avoid longer waiting times, Denmark has created two different systems that allow patients to access specialists’ care.

• One allows you to choose from any of the public hospitals in the country (to the extent of that hospital’s capacity), which means patients can choose hospitals with shorter waiting times.
• The second system allows you to choose among private and public hospitals and clinics if public institutions in your region take longer than 30 days to treat you. This last option is known as an “extended hospital choice,” and your referral letter should state whether or not you are entitled to it.

To see a general practitioner usually it takes 1-2 weeks. For emergencies immediate care is provided.

Does Denmark have free public healthcare?

Yes, Denmark has free public healthcare for its citizens and residents. Once you register in the country and obtain your CPR number, you will immediately have access to free healthcare.

Sundhedskort: the yellow card

To access free healthcare in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, you must have a health insurance card, known as the yellow card.

This card contains:

• your name;
• your address;
• your CPR number (the equivalent of a social security number);
• the name and address of your doctor.

You should receive your yellow card automatically after registering for a CPR number. If you have not registered for a CPR number, you should do so first thing. The card should take no more than four weeks to arrive in the mail.

You should show this card every time you see doctors, specialists, and psychologists, and visit hospitals and pharmacies. You can also use it as an ID document in libraries, post offices, stores, etc., so it is recommended that you carry it with you.

What does the public healthcare cover?

Public healthcare in Denmark covers all medical assistance and hospital stays. This includes:

• a general practitioner to provide primary medical care, which includes routine treatment, examinations, and advice.
• access to specialist care if referred by your general practitioner, with the exception of dentists, ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctors), or eye specialists.
• emergency care and medical assistance after hours.
• treatment at hospitals, including surgery, admission, and aftercare.
• home nursing and visits from a health visitor.

However, some services are not subsidized by the state, for which you will have to pay entirely or partially.

Public healthcare in Denmark does not include:

• medication: some is subsidized, but you will still have to pay between 50-25% of the price;
• dental care: free until the age of 18, after which it is no longer covered by public health insurance;
• elective cosmetic surgeries;
• fertility treatments, although some subsidy may be available;
• physiotherapy;
• psychology: may also get a subsidy if you have a referral from your doctor;
• chiropractic: partially subsidized if you have a referral from your doctor;
• other non-medical care or alternative treatments such as psychotherapy or coaching.

Things to know

Here are a few things you should know about public healthcare in Denmark:

• General practitioners typically work during weekdays from 8:00 to 16:00. They may only be available for phone calls from 8:00 to 9:00, which should only be for emergencies. Keep in mind that working hours and availability can vary.
• You may be able to book appointments online with your GP if they give you a specific access code.
• You can choose which hospital to go to; just make sure it has the specialty you need. If you are not sure, ask your family doctor or check online, as the hospital is likely to have a website.
• If you do not speak Danish, the doctor may decide to have an interpreter present. This ensures that patients receive all the necessary information and consent to the treatment. You can also request an interpreter yourself if you think you need one. It is free of charge for residents of less than 3 years.

Do you need private health insurance in Denmark?

In short, no. If you are entitled to residence in Denmark and have a CPR number, you are already covered by the public healthcare system. You can rely on the public health sector to cover all emergency and non-emergency medical needs. However, you may find yourself on a waiting list for elective procedures or having to pay for dentist appointments or other specialties entirely out-of-pocket. If you want insurance coverage for those situations, taking out private health insurance may be a good idea.

Since the private sector is not affected by waiting lists, seeing private doctors or specialists typically means a faster diagnosis and treatment.

Private health insurance covers treatment at:

• private clinics
• physicians,
• specialists,
• private hospitals.

Keep in mind that insurance companies typically require a referral letter from your general practitioner to cover expenses for a consultation, exams, and treatment at private hospitals.

You will also need confirmation of financial coverage from your insurer once at the hospital, before making an appointment or receiving treatment.

Types of private health Insurance plans in Denmark

• The most basic is almost exclusively provided by the non-profit organization Danmark Sygeforsikring. It covers statutory copayments mainly for pharmaceuticals and dental care, but also other specialties not covered by state medical care, such as psychology or physiotherapy.
• Supplementary insurance plan includes wider access to the private medical sector. This service is provided by for-profit insurances. It is common for employers to include this type of insurance as a benefit for their employees. If you are not employed, you are generally not covered by supplementary insurance—this includes students, pensioners, the unemployed, etc.

How to get health insurance in Denmark

To get private health insurance, you will need to look for an insurance company and check the plans they offer. The following are the leading insurance companies in Denmark:

• Tryg
• Topdanmark
• Codan
• Alm Brand
• Gjensidige Forsikring
• Sygeforsikringen “danmakr”

You can also choose an international health insurance company, such as IHI Bupa, which offers coverage for Scandinavian countries. Just keep in mind that local insurers are typically more compliant with local laws and regulations, which means they are the safer choice.

Getting private health insurance includes contacting the insurance company directly and getting one of the plans that they are offering. Before signing up for a plan, make sure to compare options from different providers to get the best possible deal.

Average cost of private health insurance in Denmark

Health insurance in Denmark costs around 450 DKK (70 USD) per month for adults or 4,500 DKK (700 USD) annually. However, the price may increase depending on the plan you get and as you age and some insurers cease to offer services for 65-year-olds or older.

How to find a family doctor

You get a general practitioner at the time of your registration for a CPR number.

However, the exact procedure of choosing a GP may differ from region to region. For example, while in some regions you might be given a list of doctors to choose from, in the Copenhagen area, you are appointed a doctor at the time of your registration. Even if this is the case, you can later change to another GP online.

Whether you choose a general practitioner or are appointed one, your doctor’s name and address are registered in your yellow card which is issued at the same time of your registration for a CPR.

How to find specialists

You can find a doctor directly through Denmark's health portal. There you will get access to contact information for doctors, private and public hospitals and pharmacies.

You can only get an appointment with a specialist with a referral from your GP. This includes a referral to visit pediatricians, gynecologists, and dermatologists too. Even if you want to see a specialist within the private sector, you may need a letter from your general practitioner in most private hospitals.

How to find a dentist

The public health sector does not cover dental care for adults. However, check-ups and treatments may be partially subsidized by the government and that amount is automatically deducted when you make payments. You are free to choose a dentist. You can find one online or at nearby clinics by searching for tandlæge near you.

Giving birth in Denmark as a non-resident is not advisable. If you want access to free medical care, you must be a resident in the country. If you are having a baby in Denmark as a foreigner, make sure you are properly registered with a CRP number to enjoy the same rights to free healthcare as nationals.

From prenatal to postnatal care

Danish healthcare includes prenatal care, childbirth, and postnatal care.

• You are entitled to two ultrasounds free of charge, one between 11 to 14 weeks and the second between 18 and 20 weeks. Additional ultrasounds must be paid out-of-pocket.
• You can also test for Down syndrome or other birth defects during the pregnancy.
• You will be referred to a midwife by your family doctor, who will assist you throughout your pregnancy.
• You are also entitled to other medical care besides the standard assessments. This includes treatment such as:
• acupuncture to relieve discomfort;
• parent classes to prepare you and your partner for childbirth. You can take these classes in English in some hospitals, such as Rigshospitalet, Herlev, and Hvidovre. Ask your midwife for other hospitals or places that offer these services or do an online search instead.

Where can you give birth?

The majority of pregnant mothers have their babies at public hospitals. You can choose the hospital where you would like to give birth—just look for the ones that have maternity wards, as not all do. Here are some hospitals in Denmark where you can give birth:

• Rigshospitalet
• Herlev
• Nordsjaellands
• Hvidovre
• Bornholms

Alternatively, you may choose to have a baby at home. If this is the case, simply inform your doctor and midwife.

In both cases, only the midwife is typically present during childbirth. That is because childbirth is seen as a natural event rather than a medical condition, and as such, the presence of a doctor is considered unnecessary.

After the birth, a health provider will do house visits to make sure you and the baby are in good health.

Cost of having a baby in Denmark

As mentioned, you are entitled to free healthcare in the country, including medical care during childbirth if you hold residence in Denmark. This is true whether you are giving birth in Denmark as a permanent resident or on a temporary residence permit, which can be extended.

Unless you wish to have procedures done that are not covered by public healthcare, such as extra ultrasounds, you should not have any medically related costs with your pregnancy.

That said, you can give birth in Denmark without health insurance, but you may choose to do so if you want to be seen by private doctors or specialists throughout your pregnancy.

Maternity wards usually give out diapers and clothes for your baby, so you do not need to worry about bringing those to the hospital.

Benefits of giving birth in Denmark

As a future parent, you are entitled to maternity benefits if you are employed in Denmark (or unemployed in some cases). You can find the exact benefits you are entitled to get and information on parental leave in our working in Denmark guide, where we have covered everything in detail.

Giving birth in Denmark for citizenship

Your child is automatically entitled to citizenship if they are born to at least one Danish citizen.

Children who were born in Denmark can obtain a residence permit in the country if:

• one of the parents holds a residence, either a permanent permit or a temporary permit with the possibility of renewal;
• The parent which holds a residence permit has full custody of the child;
• The child is younger than 15 and lives with the parent who holds a residence permit.

The child may lose their residence permit if they leave the country. A new residence permit could be much harder to obtain in these cases, although exceptions can be made for family reunification if it is in the child’s best interest.