Denmark Health Care System

Denmark, with “...a population of 5.4 million primarily white people and about 65 000 liveborn infants per year”, (BMJ) is the southernmost Nordic country in Northern Europe, and is bordered by Germany, Sweden, and Norway. According to Infoplease, over many years, Denmark has evolved from a hunting and farming society, to a farming society. As stated by The Official Website of Denmark, Denmark is a Monarchy, made up of about 90% protestants, speaking primarily danish, and the capital is Copenhagen. The country, which is 16,359 square miles, equivalent to half the size of Maine, contains “several islands in the Baltic Sea; the two largest are Sjælland, the site of Copenhagen, and Fyn” (Infoplease), which are the dream destinations for many

Today Denmark is one of the most prosperous countries in the world. Unemployment rates are low. Denmark also has low inflation and a surplus on both balance of payments and public expenditure. The World Economic Forum’s 2008 competitiveness index ranks Denmark in its Top Three world-wide. And the World Transparency Index ranks it as the world champion in non-corruption. Furthermore it should be noted that other international comparisons nominate the Danes as the happiest people in the world! Denmark’s success is so impressive.

Health care systems are different in every country around the world. There are four main components that complete a health care delivery system, described by Shi and Singh (2015) as the quad-function model, which includes insurance, financing, payment and delivery of care (p. 5). Along with the components of the quad-function model it is important to analyze a countries access to care, their health outcomes and how public health is integrated into the health care delivery system. The United States has a unique health care system that is like no other country. Great Britian, in contrast, also has a unique system that is very different than the United States.

Denmark is a country located in Europe with the capital being Copenhagen. It is comprised of land located on the peninsula known as Jutland, as well as several islands and hundreds of even smaller Islands, all of which are located east of Jutland in the Baltic Sea. Denmark shares its southern border with Germany, while Norway and Sweden are located to the north and east respectively. In addition to the mainland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands are territories of Denmark. However, they exercise home rule and govern themselves.

beginning of Sweden’s long history of providing medical care to all. In 1946, Sweden adopted a national health insurance program called The National Health Insurance Act. This act called for coverage for all citizens funded mainly by the government through local income tax revenue with control being in the hands of county governments. This includes providing dental care up until a person is 20. Not ideal, yet more than the United States government has been willing to implement. So why doesn’t The United States have universal health care for it’s tax paying citizens? The United States government has developed on the back of a different psychosocial mentality in comparison to Sweden. America was built upon the disposition and belief that

The first characteristic of the US health care system is that there is no central governing agency which allows for little integration and coordination. While the government has a great influence on the health care system, the system is mostly controlled through private hands. The system is financed publically and privately creating a variety of payments and delivery unlike centrally controlled healthcare systems in other developed countries. The US system is more complex and less manageable than centrally controlled health care systems, which makes it more expensive. The second characteristic of the US health care system is that it is technology driven and focuses on acute care. With more usage of high technology,

In 2015 Denmark had a population of 5,699,000 within their Scandinavia geographic region ("Countries Denmark," 2015). The Danish have a culture of high living standards and well-being. It is a developed country that’s population is ranked above average in life expectancy (OECD Publishing, 2016). The average life expectancy for males is seventy – two. The women are expected to live until eighty- two years old ("Countries Denmark," 2015).

There are a few positive externalizes from the Swedish healthcare system. First, there are set limits on how much an individual will spend before the government will pay for all the fees (David Hogberg). This helps people when they have lots of medical expenses. For example 200 kronas, about $24, is the most patients will pay annually for prescription drugs (David Hogberg).

This paper presents a comparison of the health care systems in the United States and the Netherlands. The health care systems in the United States and the Netherlands are both a work in progress. This paper compares the many common strengths and weaknesses between these two countries health care systems using recent data and current trends. The government of the Netherlands has been working towards providing universal health coverage for their citizens since World War II. The government of the United States is divided on the necessity of providing universal health coverage for its citizens; however, it appears to be moving in this direction. The United States approximately 70 years behind the Netherlands on the health care front. Comparing the similarities and differences in the health care systems of the United States and the Netherlands gives a lot of insight into policy changes and reform that could benefit the United States. The continually improving health care system in the Netherlands may be the best model for the United States as it moves towards a Universal Health Care system.

Denmark became a country as early as the eighth century but the normal people aka the Danes were there at around 500 AD. In the 9th century the Danes were in the viking age where they first settled and discovered Iceland. There great shipbuilding and navigation skills helped them conquer parts of France, Ireland, and the British isles. around 1332 after the horrible ruling of Christopher the second they country was ruled by counts. After one died, Valdemar became king and reunited the nation back together. The daughter of Valdemar, Margaret the first married Hakon the sixth to attempt to join the kingdoms. In 1387 she ruled Denmark Norway and Sweden and united them together to make the Kalmar union in 1397. After her death,her successor Eric

Denmark has had to deal with war and Germany in the past. During the time that Denmark has been around they have been ruled by a king (Britannica). Before the events of World War II, in the 1800s Denmark and Germany fought each other in a German-Danish war (Britannica). Then during World War I Denmark was able to stay neutral (Danish Center For History). While some other countries during the Holocaust disrespected the Jewish people, people in Denmark treated

The Kingdom of Denmark was founded by viking king, Gorm the Old in the tenth century. This means that the current queen, Queen Margrethe II, is a descendant from vikings! Gorm’s son Harald Bluetooth helped unify Denmark geographically, and emotionally. Bluetooth and his descendants would assist England and Norway to do the

Germany invaded Denmark on April 9, 1940, and occupied Denmark for the remainder of World War II. However, the Danish government was able to keep Germany from immediately deporting the approximately eight thousand Jewish citizens living in the country. On September 28, 1943, a German diplomat named Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz

Nationally, Norway’s parliament serves as the political decision-making body for health care. They are responsible for planning and subsidizing the education of health personnel, they develop and implement national health policies, and they are responsible for the funding of national health care. The Norwegian health care system is primarily funded by taxes but is supplemented by state grants and some user charges. National Insurance Scheme (NIS) was created in 1967 by the Norwegian government. It is a universal, tax-funded, single payer health system that covers 100 percent of the Norwegian citizens and residents, unless they opt out of it. The health status of the Norwegian population is considered one of the best in the world; yet, in 2003 Norway only spent 10.3% of their gross domestic product on health care. (4) The United States spends a much higher percent of our gross domestic product than Norway, yet our life expectancy in the United States is ranked 27th. Norway’s life expectancy is ranked 14th. The difference in spending is felt to be caused by inflated prices for health care services in the United States. (3)

Denmark is a small high-income country with a high population density, is governed by a constitutional monarchy, has a central parliament and is administratively divided into regions, municipalities and has 2 dependencies (Greenland and the Faroe Islands) (Kravitz & Treasure, 2009). It has a national health service (funded by general taxation) and a decentralized healthcare system in which the individual regions run most services and the municipalities are responsible for some public health services (Kravitz & Treasure, 2009). However, a process of (re) centralization (under the structural reform of 2007) has been taking place, which has lowered the number of regions from 14 to 5 and the