Prescriptions in Denmark

prescriptions in denmark

Prescriptions in Denmark are not part of the free health care system in Denmark. You are given an allowance and only pay a portion of your costs. How much you will pay is based on a sliding scale. Here is how it works. If you are over 18 the following applies to you.

You pay 100% of the cost of your medicine up to the first 890,- . You than pay 50% of the cost up to 1450,-. You than pay 25% up to 3130,- and finally 15% for amounts over 3130,- during a 12 month period. The period starts on the date you purchase your first script. And this starts anew each year.

So for example if you got your first prescription on April 1. And you bought 2500 DKK worth of medicine in the next 12 months.

You would have spent 890,- (100%) + 280,- (50% of 560,-) + 262.50,- (25% of 1050,-) = 1432.50, - total. As soon as the next April 1 rolls around you start over.

The only exception is for children under the age of 18, who pay 60% of the costs up to 1450,- and than the same rates as above apply.

Footnote: There are also subsidies for people with chronic illness, people who may be dying and or in financial difficulty. These must be approved via your physician and the Lægemiddelstyrelsen.

How to Get
Prescriptions

When you need a script, be it new or a refill, your first stop should be your own doctor.

You can either call them during their consultation hour, which is usually between 8AM and 9AM weekdays.

Tell them which medicine you need and the pharmacy you want to use. You can have them delivered to an Apotek, which is Danish for pharmacy or sometimes they can also be delivered to local grocery stores.

Especially in smaller towns, grocery stores will also dispense prescriptions. What happens is that the local pharmacy will make a delivery once a day, so it is usually there in the afternoon.

Once you are signed up with your doctor, you should also be given an access code to sign into their website. Now you can go on the site and request an appointment, medication or ask a medical question.

If it is a refill it can also be handled directly at the apotek if you have it on file there.

Remember to have your sundhedscard / insurance card with you, so you get your allowance. You must use the card which the script is assigned to. Do not use yours to pick up your girlfriends medicine.

Learn more about prescriptions and health care in Denmark.

Remember getting started in Denmark is done one step at a time.

Foreign Prescriptions

You can now get your foreign scripts filled at Danish pharmacies.

If your script is issued by a physician or dentist in another EU country, Norway or Iceland, you can have it filled in Denmark.

Conditions are:

  • Script is in paper form only.
  • Medicine must be sold in the same strength in Denmark.
  • Does not include euphoriant drugs.

If there is any question about the script, you may be referred to a Danish physician to reissue similiar medicine.

Over-the-counter
medicine

Many drugs which you might be used to picking up off the shelf are only dispensed by pharmacists in Denmark.

Even medicines which do not require a script may not be on the shelves. You will have to request them from the pharmacist.

So if you have regular medication (asthma inhalers, antihistimines, etc.) that you normally buy off the shelf, check with your doctor or local pharmacy about how you get them before you need them.

Alot of the restrictions are slowly being lifted and since 2012 many more medicines can be bought outside of the Apotek.

Learn more about coping with everyday life in Denmark or the health care system in Denmark.


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