The official term in EU documents is "Member States".

Anyway, the health care systems in the different European countries vary greatly. As far as I know ... the Nordic countries, the UK and Switzerland have an actual national health service. I believe the systems vary somewhat but in the case of Denmark this means that any hospital treatment is free (but for certain ailments there may be a long waiting list!) and visiting a doctor is also free. Dental treatment and medicine, however, are only partly reimbursed (typically 50% for medicine - only life-saving medicine for chronical illnesses (e.g., insuline) is free).

Danish citizens who travel to the other Nordic countries, the UK or Switzerland are entitled to emergency health care on the same terms as nationals of those countries - just show your passport. This is a reciprocal agreement which no doubt stems from the similarity in those countries' national health service systems.

And yes, it's much less stressful to just show your NHS card to the doctor (or his/her secretary) and leave the bureaucracy to them!

Now I live in Luxembourg where there's a myriad of health insurance schemes. Mine is paid directly from my wages and it generally covers 85% of everything. That means that unlike Denmark you pay a sum (about US$3.50) for visiting the doctor - but on the other hand medicine is cheaper.
Certainly it's more bureaucratic! A couple of years ago I sprained a wrist on a skiing holiday. Afterwards I ended up with a bill from the doctor (in his clinic), another bill from the doctor from when I saw him at his hospital job (for an X-ray), another bill for the X-ray itself and one from the hospital for use of its facilities! Four bills for one event...
and then there's the hassle of filling in forms, sending all the bumph off to the Claims Office, waiting for the reimbursement etc.

Regards,
Caspar

posted by 212.190.1...

• OT: any Europeans here? questions about heath care, Rob 85 Turbo, Wed, 3 Apr 2002 11:56:43
  • Canadian Heath care and a nice RANT!, Dean, Thu, 4 Apr 2002 17:31:35
    • Yes but..., Mike in NS, Fri, 5 Apr 2002 11:32:29
  • thanks for the feedback guys n/m, Rob 85 Turbo, Thu, 4 Apr 2002 16:51:01
  • Waiting lists also a factor>, ChipJ, Thu, 4 Apr 2002 10:00:46
    • where I live (Northern VA) the ER lines are long, Rob 85 Turbo, Thu, 4 Apr 2002 16:49:57
  • Swiss health system...., Coolknight, Thu, 4 Apr 2002 04:32:23
  • Re: OT: any Europeans here? questions about heath care, Mattias.se, Wed, 3 Apr 2002 13:43:10
    • Swedish health care., JEC, Fri, 5 Apr 2002 09:36:31
      • Re: Swedish health care., Caspar, Fri, 5 Apr 2002 10:14:34
    • Re: OT: any Europeans here? questions about heath care, StanleyB, Wed, 3 Apr 2002 14:15:06
      • Re: OT: any Europeans here? questions about heath care, Mattias.se, Wed, 3 Apr 2002 14:52:43
        • Re: OT: any Europeans here? questions about heath care, Caspar, Thu, 4 Apr 2002 03:49:00 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: OT: any Europeans here? questions about heath care, Ken Jensen, Wed, 3 Apr 2002 13:23:02

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