FAQ
Last updated: 01-03-2024
Alternative Therapist
It's hard to provide a definition of alternative therapy. Alternative therapy can be defined as treatment forms based on methods primarily used outside the conventional health care system. Alternative therapy can be performed by individuals without a health professional authorization.
Extended Free Hospital Choice
A scheme meant to ensure the patient's rights, making it possible to receive treatment at a private hospital if the waiting time at a public hospital for examination or treatment exceeds 30 calendar days. The private hospital enters a Collective Agreement with the region and must be capable of managing the task.
Occupational Therapy
Treatment aimed at developing and retraining physical, mental, and social skills.
Podiatrists
When can I receive public subsidies?
With a referral from your primary care physician, you can get a subsidy if you have one of the following diagnoses:
Diabetes with a confirmed need for treatment
Ingrown toenails
Scar tissue after radiation treatment for foot warts
Patients with severe joint and psoriatic arthritis
You can also receive treatment from a podiatrist without a referral from your doctor, and in this case, you won't get a subsidy from your region. How much can I get in subsidies from the public? The regions provide varying subsidies for each of the four diagnoses mentioned above. You pay your portion directly to the podiatrist .
Diabetes: The subsidy covers 50% of the podiatrist's fee
Ingrown toenails: The subsidy covers 40% of the podiatrist's fee
Scar tissue after radiation for foot warts: The subsidy covers 40% of the podiatrist's fee
Patients with severe joint and psoriatic arthritis: The subsidy covers 50% of the podiatrist's fee
Prices with subsidies are regulated in the Collective Agreement for Podiatrists.
Is your waiting time too long? Do you think the waiting time with your podiatrists is too long and are you interested in getting treated sooner? To find podiatrists, click here. Select:
Podiatrists with Subsidy / Podiatrists without Subsidy
Maximum waiting time in weeks
You will now find your desired physiotherapists.
Physiotherapy
When can I get a public subsidy? If you have issues that require physiotherapy, your doctor can refer you to physiotherapy. You can also be treated by a physiotherapist without a doctor's referral, in which case you will not receive a subsidy from your region.
How much can I get in subsidy from the public? As of today, your subsidy amounts to 39.3% for the first consultation, standard exercise, and group training, which are the most commonly used treatments in physiotherapy. Please note the following:
If you are treated in your own home, you will have to pay a distance fee of 113.81 DKK.
If you are treated at your workplace, you will have to pay a distance fee of 113.81 DKK. If you are treated outside the clinic's normal opening hours, you will pay an additional fee without a subsidy.
On weekdays between 16.00-20.00 and on Saturdays between 08.00-20.00, you pay an extra fee of 162.52 DKK.
On weekdays between 20.00-08.00 and on Sundays/holidays, you pay an extra fee of 325.01 DKK.
Prices with subsidies are regulated in the Collective Agreement on general physiotherapy.
Is your waiting time too long? Do you think the wait at your physiotherapist is too long, and are you interested in getting treatment sooner? To find physiotherapists click here. Select:
Physiotherapists with Subsidy / Physiotherapists without Subsidy
Maximum waiting time in weeks
You will now find the your desired physiotherapists.
Chiropractic
When can I get a public subsidy? There is a public subsidy for chiropractic treatment. It does not require a referral from your general practitioner. Therefore, without involving your GP, you can find a chiropractor to treat you and automatically receive a public subsidy.
How much can I get in subsidy from the public? The regions provide a subsidy of 60% of the agreed prices per consultation in the agreement for these treatments:
Lumbar nerve root compression
Cervical nerve root compression
Lumbar spinal stenosis
The regions provide a subsidy of about 80% of the agreed prices per consultation in the agreement for:
X-ray
Ultrasound
Prices with subsidies are regulated in the Collective Agreement on Chiropractic.
Is your waiting time too long? Do you think the wait at your chiropractor is too long, and are you interested in getting treatment sooner? To find chiropractors click here. Select:
Chiropractors with Subsidy / Chiropractors without Subsidy
Maximum waiting time in weeks
You can now find the your desired chiropractors.
Doctor's Referral
An approval from, for example, a general practitioner indicating that a patient is entitled to receive treatment from professionals such as specialists, physiotherapists, psychologists, etc.
Collective Agreement
A written agreement that must be adhered to by all parties involved. Created based on negotiations between two or more parties, such as addressing an employee's working conditions concerning wages, working hours, etc.
General Practitioner (GP)
A doctor who has specialized in general medicine and works in a medical clinic/practice. The general practitioner treats the majority of all illnesses and can refer patients to specialists if the diagnosis and treatment fall outside the GP's expertise.
Private Hospital
A privately owned hospital where, for a fee, one can receive treatment for a variety of diseases and disorders.
Psychology
When can I get a public subsidy?
You can receive subsidies for psychological help if you belong to the following categories:
victims of robbery, violence, and rape
traffic and accident victims
relatives of seriously mentally ill individuals
individuals affected by a severely disabling disease
relatives of individuals affected by a severely disabling disease
relatives in the event of a death
individuals who have attempted suicide
women who undergo an abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy. Psychological assistance can be provided before the abortion procedure when a request for the procedure has been submitted to the abortion committee
individuals who, before turning 18, were victims of incest or other sexual assaults
individuals with mild to moderate depression, aged 18 and older
individuals suffering from mild to moderate anxiety, including mild to moderate OCD, aged 18 and older
You can also receive treatment from a psychologist without a referral from your doctor; in this case, you will not receive a subsidy from your region.
What type of treatment can I receive with a doctor's referral?
You can receive subsidies for up to 12 consultations per treatment cycle. If you belong to group 10 & 11 (see above), you can receive subsidies for up to an additional 12 treatments upon re-referral from your general practitioner.
You can get subsidies for individual consultations, two-person consultations, or group consultations (3-9 people).
How much can I receive in subsidies from the public? The regions provide a subsidy covering 60% of the set prices per consultation according to the Collective Agreement. You pay your share of the amount directly to the psychologist. Receiving psychological help is free (i.e., a 100% subsidy) if you belong to one of the following:
Group 6: You are a relative in the event of a death (The Patient Compensation Association can decide that the relative is entitled to compensation according to § 24 a of the law on complaint and compensation access within the healthcare system)
Group 10: You have a mild to moderate depression and are between 18-24 years old at the time of referral
Group 11: You suffer from mild to moderate anxiety, including mild to moderate OCD, and are between 18-24 years old at the time of referral
Prices with subsidies are regulated in the Collective Agreement on psychological assistance.
Is your waiting time too long? Do you think the waiting time for your psychologist is too long, and are you interested in getting an earlier appointment? To find psychologists click here. Choose:
Psychologists with Subsidy / Psychologists without Subsidy
Maximum waiting time in weeks
You can now find the your desired psychologists.
Psychotherapist
An individual who treats mental disorders, for example, through conversation, dream analysis, or hypnosis.
RAB
RAB - Registered Alternative Practitioners is a protected title that alternative practitioners can obtain, and a registration scheme that makes it easier for consumers to navigate in relation to whether a practitioner meets certain minimum requirements to ensure good clinical practice.
Medical specialists
A doctor who, after completing their medical degree at the university and KBU (clinical basic education), undergoes further training for another 5-6 years in one of 38 specialties. With a referral from a general physician, one can receive treatment from a specialist.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
A doctor specialized in psychiatry who deals with children and adolescents and can prescribe medication. The psychiatrist can provide both talk therapy and medical treatment.
Pediatrician
Pediatricians deal with diseases in children from birth until they've gone through puberty - in practice, this means up to and including 17 years old in Denmark.
Gynecologist
A doctor specializing in women's diseases, which concern the female reproductive organs.
Dermatologist
Dermatologists deal with skin diseases.
Internal Medicine Specialist
A doctor who specializes in diseases of the internal organs but doesn't perform surgery.
Surgeon
A doctor specialized in operating on the internal organs in the chest and abdomen. Additionally, they can specialize in other areas, e.g., as a neurosurgeon or ophthalmic surgeon.
Anesthesiologist
A doctor responsible for the patient during anesthesia in terms of the amount of anesthetic, monitoring blood pressure, respiration, etc.
Neurologist
A doctor who specializes in diseases of the nervous system, e.g., the brain, spinal cord, muscles, and nerves.
Orthopedic Surgeon
A doctor who deals with diseases and injuries of muscles, joints, and bones. Treatment can be both surgical and non-surgical.
Plastic Surgeon
A doctor who specializes in reconstructing or enhancing the body either due to disease/injury or purely for cosmetic reasons.
Psychiatrist
A doctor with specialized training in psychiatry, who can provide both talk therapy and medical treatment in combination.
Rheumatologist
A doctor specializing in rheumatism, which is a general term for diseases and symptoms from the musculoskeletal system.
Radiologist
A doctor specialized in diagnostic imaging who performs, among other things, X-rays and CT scans.
Ophthalmologist
A doctor who specializes in eye diseases.
Otorhinolaryngologist (ENT Specialist)
A doctor who deals with diseases of the ear, nose, and throat (larynx and pharynx)
Health Insurance
Insurance for the sick, which ensures all receive medical care. The system in Denmark is an example. Anyone residing in Denmark has the right to treatment by a doctor and specialist without cost. Additionally, subsidies are provided for medicine, dentist, physiotherapy, podiatry, chiropractor, and psychologist.
National health insurance group 1 and national health insurance group 2
As a Danish citizen residing within the country's borders, you can choose between two health insurance groups: Insurance Group 1: You are registered with a specific doctor and need a referral to see specialists. Insurance Group 2: You are not registered with any specific doctor and don't need a referral to see specialists.
Health Insurance Group 1 If you're in group 1 and wish to receive a subsidy for your treatment, you need a referral from your doctor for treatment by a physiotherapist, podiatrist, and psychologist. You don't need a referral for a dentist, dental hygienist, or chiropractor, as you automatically receive a subsidy when you get a treatment. If you want to see a specialist, you need a referral from your general practitioner. The specialists:
Ophthalmologists and
ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctors are exceptions, so you can directly book an appointment without a referral and always receive a subsidy for your treatment. The region pays all costs for treatments by a doctor or specialist. However, be aware that the doctor/specialist must have a Collective Agreement with the region. Some doctors with a Collective Agreement also offer private treatments, which you must pay for yourself. If you are in insurance group 1, your doctor can't charge a fee if you miss an appointment. Find the best practitioners by clicking here.
Health Insurance Group 2 If you're in group 2, the conditions are the same as in group 1, except for the following significant differences:
You can freely choose your general practitioner.
You can freely choose a specialist without a referral.
You pay to see a general practitioner and specialist. The following practitioners can set their fee for a treatment:
Physiotherapists
Doctors
Specialists
Dentists
Dental hygienists
If you still wish to receive a subsidy for treatment, you need a referral from your general practitioner for the following types of practitioners:
Podiatrists
Physiotherapists
Psychologists
It's worth noting that the psychologist must be part of the Collective Agreement with the region for you to receive a subsidy. As a group 2-insured, you can receive treatments under the same conditions and with the same limitations as group 1-insured. This means you can get the same number of treatments as if you were in insurance group 1. If your specialist deems you need more treatments than a group 1-insured would typically get, your general practitioner must evaluate your treatment needs. You can switch insurance groups at borger.dk by clicking here. You can change doctors at borger.dk by clicking here. Find the health care providers near you by clicking here.
Dentist
Dentists are concerned with the examination, treatment, and care of teeth, especially from a preventive aspect.
Subsidy Rules
Regulations that make it possible to receive subsidized treatment and medicine. For instance, as a Danish citizen, one is entitled to a certain number of free treatments by physiotherapists, psychologists, etc. After that, one would pay a reduced amount. The more one spends on medicine, the larger the subsidy received.
