Are you enrolled in health insurance group 1?
As a patient, you are entitled to free treatment from your own doctor - but you can also choose a private consultation with Doctors Denmark if you want fast and flexible help for non-emergency issues. We make it easy to get the medical care you need - without unnecessary waiting time.
Are you in health insurance group 1 and experiencing long waiting times at your GP? At Lægerne Danmark you can quickly and easily book a private consultation for non-emergency issues. We make it safe, flexible and easy to get the medical care you need - when you need it.
Are you enrolled in health insurance group 1? Here you get an overview of your rights with your GP, when you can get free treatment - and how you can book a private consultation with Doctors Denmark when the need arises.
What does it mean to you?
As a patient in health insurance group 1, you are registered with your own doctor, and it is generally only from this doctor that you can receive free general medical care through the public sector. The region only pays for treatments performed by your own doctor - or after a referral from your doctor. If you choose to go to another doctor without a referral, you will have to pay for the consultation yourself.
At Doctors Denmark, you can book appointments for non-emergency issues via self-pay, health insurance or company agreement - even if you are in group 1.
What does health insurance group 1 cover?
As a Group 1 patient, you are entitled to free treatment from your own doctor. The legal background can be found in the Health Act §59-60 and Executive Order no. 605/2024.
In short, it means:
- You must be registered with a regular doctor (your own doctor).
- Only your own doctor can offer free general medical care.
- The region generally does not cover expenses if you go to another doctor without a referral.
- Emergencies are covered by health insurance - you must be seen the same day before 16:00.
- For non-emergency issues, you should usually be able to get an appointment within five business days.
Outside opening hours, you can contact the region's emergency medical service, which handles emergencies after 16:00.
What is the difference between health insurance group 1 and group 2?
When choosing between public and private treatment, your health insurance group plays an important role. Many people are unsure what group 1 and group 2 actually mean in practice - especially when it comes to referrals, waiting times and co-payments.
Here's a quick overview of the differences so you can see which scheme suits your needs:
Health insurance group 1 (most common)
- You have a regular doctor.
- You need a referral to get to most
- Specialist doctors.
- You get the largest government subsidy.
Health insurance group 2
- You don't need a referral to specialists.
- You are free to choose between doctors.
- You get a smaller government subsidy, so co-payments are higher.
Read more about health insurance group 2
When can you choose private consultation?
At Doctors Denmark, as a Group 1 patient, you can choose to book an appointment for non-emergency issues, such as
- Long-term pain (shoulder, stomach, etc.)
- Health checks and health checks
- Certificates and declarations
- Blood tests
- Referrals private health insurance
- Follow-up calls or counseling
These services are outside the collective agreement between the regions and PLO and can therefore be offered via self-pay.
Benefits of private consultation (even as a Group 1 patient)
Even if you're in health insurance group 1, a private consultation can be the right choice if you want fast and flexible access to medical care for non-emergency issues. At Lægerne Danmark you get a more flexible and accessible solution - without referrals or long waiting times. We offer:
- Fast time - no weeks or months in line
- Flexible times that fit into your calendar
- Evening and weekend hours so you don't have to take time off work
- No waiting time in the clinic
- Time for a thorough conversation where your issue is taken seriously from the start
Public-private collaboration in general practice
Denmark is short of over 400 specialist doctors in general medicine, and the pressure on existing clinics is high.
Lægerne Danmark contributes to solving this challenge through innovation and collaboration between the public and private sectors.
We provide a digital booking platform and medical record system for GPs and specialists to better utilize their capacity for the benefit of both patients and the healthcare system.
Legal framework for group 1 patients (general practice)
According to the National Cooperation Committee's interpretation of the collective agreement, the following applies:
- Doctors under the collective agreement may not charge for services covered by health insurance.
- Doctors can provide private services that are outside of the collective agreement, such as non-emergency consultations.
- These can take place during daytime hours, as long as they do not overlap with services paid for by the region.
For patients in health insurance group 1, private consultations via Doctors Denmark only concern general practitioner services that are not covered by the general practice agreement.
Doctors Denmark naturally follows all applicable rules and interpretations in collaboration with regions and PLO.
Legal framework for other medical specialists
For medical specialists - such as psychiatrists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, otorhinolaryngologists, gynecologists and others - different rules apply than for general practitioners.
As a patient in health insurance group 1, you are entitled to free specialist treatment when you are referred by your own doctor. The region only pays for specialist medical services that are performed after referral and by specialists who have an agreement (provider number) with the region.
However, there are a few specialties where you can go directly without a referral and still be covered by health insurance. This applies to e.g:
- Ophthalmologists
- Ear, nose and throat doctors
- Podiatrists (for certain diagnoses)
- Dentists (for children and adolescents and special treatment areas)
If you choose to book an appointment without a referral with a specialist other than these - or with a specialist outside the collective agreement - you must pay for the consultation yourself.
It is precisely these types of private specialist medical services that Doctors Denmark facilitates access to.
Private specialist services can include, for example:
- Consultation with a specialist without referral
- Health certificates and examinations not covered by health insurance
- Additional treatments or examinations for which the region does not provide reimbursement
Doctors Denmark ensures that collaboration with specialist doctors is in accordance with applicable legislation, collective agreements and the regions' guidelines for private healthcare business.
Doctors Denmark - flexible access to general and specialist medical care
The unique thing about Doctors Denmark is that we make it easy for patients and doctors to find each other when there is a non-emergency need for consultation.
Via our nationwide platform, you can quickly book an appointment with a doctor or specialist with available capacity - no matter where you are in the country.
We help increase capacity in general and specialist practices, reduce waiting times and ensure that more Danes can get the help they need when the need arises.
