Health for everyone? Denmark invests less than most – and it can be felt

The state should distinguish gnp by distribution of funds

The OECD Health Data shows that health care costs throughout Europe are closer to the development of GDP than with the development of the individual country’s demographics. Here, however, Denmark stands out. Danish Regions believe that the state should distinguish both GDP and Demographics when the right financing of the health care system is to be found. Today, only the demographics are being recognized.

– It is a problem for our health care system that spending is increasing more and faster than has been taken into account when the state only covers the expenses that the regions have as a result of the aging population. We need to see the cost of health care from a slightly broader perspective, says Anders Kühnau.

The fact that the cost of health care in Denmark grows every single year is due to, among other things, The demographic development, where an increasing proportion of the population is older and where the oldest citizens live longer. But the development of new technology and better treatments, which make it possible to treat more and more disorders, also help to drive health care expenses upwards, points out the chairman of the Danish Region.

– The pressure on health care also increases on a positive background – society is evolving and we can treat more than before. But over time, there is a big difference between the funds added and the need we really have in health care. This means that the health care system is in fact being worse and poorer if we do not change the way we do things, says Anders Kühnau.