Overview

Sweden’s tax-funded health system provides coverage for nearly everyone who lives or works in the country. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, supported by national government agencies, oversees health care policy and high-level management. Responsibility for financing, organizing, and delivering health care is delegated to the 21 regions, while the 290 municipalities manage health care in ordinary and special housing for elderly people and people with functional impairments, as well as health care in schools.

In 2022, Sweden’s per capita health expenditure (US$ PPP 7017) was well above the EU average, accounting for 10.7% of GDP. Public funding made up 86% of total health expenditure, the third highest in the EU. About 13% of health spending in Sweden came from out-of-pocket payments (OOP), mainly driven by pharmaceuticals, dental care and outpatient care.

Over the past decade, Sweden has implemented key health reforms to enhance access, quality, and efficiency. The 2015 Patient Act enabled free choice of primary and outpatient care, spurring private digital providers and higher costs. Targeted funding since 2018 has strengthened primary care, emphasizing prevention and person-centred services, while reforms in specialist care focus on evidence-based processes and service centralization. Initiatives include regional cancer centres, a knowledge-driven management system, and limits on national specialized care units. Recent reforms address hospital capacity and patient safety via performance-based payments. Ongoing efforts include a national eHealth infrastructure, improved municipal staffing, and faster care access through intermediation and guarantees. A 2024 maternity care plan seeks equal, safe services.