[helene_t]

I find this story strange, Roland. Maybe the rules have changed or maybe your friend was a special type of visitor somehow covered by the Danish system, but foreign visitors of mine have generally been charged by Danish HC providers. This is unlike for example United Kingdom (GP services free for everyone, hospital treatment covered by NHS if you are an NHS patient) and Cuba (everything free for everyone).

Last time I was admitted to a Danish emergency room, I also asked how much I had to pay. They said that as a Danish citizen I was probably covered, which was confirmed when she looked me up at the computer. Maybe it was a database bug or maybe she misinterpreted what the computer said. When I left Denmark and called the Danish health insurance the day after to ask whether I was supposed to return my insurance card, a very angry receptionist told me that I should have returned it before I left since I lost all rights the moment I crossed the border. (Even though it took me one-and-a-half year to obtain a health insurance in the Netherlands, during that time I had to pay a few hospital bills and GP bills cash, but I suppose that says something about the Dutch system (and maybe something about European coordination) rather than about the Danish system. In theory everyone has a health insurance in the Netherlands, but I have several friends who don't, simply because all insurance companies either reject them or just refuse to reply to their applications).

When I moved back to Denmark the rule was that new immigrants get covered after six weeks, while of course I lost my Dutch insurance immediately, so again six weeks without coverage. Same happened when I moved form NL to UK.

That said I think the Danish health insurance system is extremely reliable and cost-effective, a true role model for other developed countries. Same can be said about other parts of Danish public services such as police, revenues, social welfare, and civic registration. The Danish justice system is also quite cost-effective but maybe not so reliable, as it fails to separate the executive branch of government from the courts.

[joshs]

My theory is that the Dane's are happy because of Legos.

[Echognome]

Walddk, on Feb 20 2008, 12:42 PM, said:

Echognome, on Feb 20 2008, 10:03 PM, said:

You sure they meant Denmark and not Christiania?

Let me emphasize that most Danes are not proud of having a place like Christiania. Drugs, other criminal activities and residents who believe it's a deed not to contribute to society.

http://goeurope.about.com/od/christiania/C...gen_Denmark.htm

Roland

Roland,

I was just teasing of course. Despite having been to Copenhagen dozens of time (having lived in Lund, Sweden for about 8 months but before the bridge), I have never been to Christiania, nor desired to go there.

-Gnome

[helene_t]

joshs, on Feb 21 2008, 07:43 PM, said:

My theory is that the Dane's are happy because of Legos.

Spot on. Lego has certainly done more for my quality of life than Christiania and all beer breweries combined.

[matmat]

joshs, on Feb 21 2008, 01:43 PM, said:

My theory is that the Dane's are happy because of Legos.

Wow. That's gotta be it... and they get the duplos when they're really young

[whereagles]

Legos = best danish invention ever. Legos > beer, yes.

But these days Legos got too sofisticated. They're losing the magic of simplicity and dangerously meandering through visual impact lust.