How to get started when you are new to Denmark
Introduction
Denmark has a tax-funded system that gives residents free access to most healthcare services. This means Denmark is a country with universal healthcare!
What is covered:
- doctor visits
- hospital treatment
- emergency care
- pregnancy care
- and most specialist referrals.
What is not covered in 2025:
- dental care for adults
- physiotherapy (without referral)
- other treatments (without referral)
- some prescriptions require payment (though part of prescriptions is subsidized)
Getting Started as a Migrant/Expat
CPR Number (Civil Registration Number) – Once you register your address in Denmark, you’ll receive a CPR number. The number is essential – it gives you access to healthcare, banks, and many public services.
Choosing a General Practitioner (GP) – When you register, you’ll select your own GP. Your GP is your first point of contact for most health issues and will refer you to specialists if needed.
Health Card (“Sundhedskort”) – After you get your CPR number, you’ll receive a yellow health insurance card. Bring this card every time you see a doctor, go to the hospital, or pick up medicine at a pharmacy.
Types of Care
- General Practitioner (GP): Free visits; acts as gatekeeper to specialists.
- Hospitals: Public hospitals provide emergency care and specialist treatment, usually via referral.
- Specialists: You need a referral from your GP, except for certain fields (e.g., dentists, eye specialists).
- Emergency Care: Dial 112 for emergencies. For urgent but non-life threatening cases, call 1813 in Copenhagen.
Pharmacies and Medicine
- Prescriptions are digital and linked to your CPR number.
- You can pick up medicine at any pharmacy with your yellow card.
- Subsidies apply depending on your annual spending on prescriptions.
Dental Care
- Free for children and teenagers until age 22 for people born after 2004.
- Adults pay out of pocket (private dentists), though some treatments are partially subsidized.
Private Health Insurance
Many Danes also have supplementary private health insurance (sometimes through their employer) to cover:
- faster access to specialists
- certain types of physiotherapy
- chiropractic care
- Dental care
- Extended Optical Care
- and more.