Sweden

The Swedish health system provides universal health coverage for all residents, regardless of nationality, while emergency coverage is provided to all patients from the EU/EEA and via bilateral agreements. The 21 counties in Sweden have responsibility for financing, purchasing, and providing health services. 

Health expenditure is mostly paid through local taxes, along with contributions from the national government via general grants, subsidies to the regions for outpatient medicines and specific national programmes. Some 13% of health spending in Sweden is funded by out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure – slightly lower than the EU average (2022).  

 Most OOP spending goes on pharmaceuticals, dental care and other outpatient care, as these services are generally less covered than hospital inpatient care. 

Choice of primary care provider for the population and freedom of establishment for providers accredited by the local county councils has been mandatory in Sweden since January 2010. Patients can register with any public or private provider accredited by the local county council and registration based on latest visit or shortest geographical distance is practised in most county councils for individuals who do not make an active choice of provider. However, primary care has no formal gatekeeping role in most county councils and patients are free to contact specialists directly. Public hospitals at the regional level provide the majority of acute care, while private hospitals also exist.