Healthcare & Family

The GP system, your gatekeeper to everything

Updated July 2026Reviewed July 2026
The one-line versionYour GP (egen laege) is the front door to Danish healthcare - free, assigned when you register your CPR, and the person who refers you onward. See them first for almost everything non-emergency.

Your GP is the front door

Danish healthcare is gatekept: your GP (egen laege, "own doctor") is the first point of contact for nearly everything non-emergency, and the one who refers you to specialists and hospitals. GP visits are free. When you register your CPR, you are automatically assigned a GP near your address - their details are on your yellow health card (sundhedskort).

How to use it

  • Book by phone or online via sundhed.dk with MitID.
  • See your GP first for illness, referrals, prescriptions, screenings and mental-health concerns - they handle roughly 90% of issues.
  • Referrals to specialists and hospital treatment come through them (see specialist referrals).
Coverage is automatic with your CPRYou do not apply for health insurance - registering your CPR and getting the yellow card gives you full access. There are no co-payments for GP visits, referred specialists or hospital care. Emergencies are treated regardless of CPR status.

Group 1 vs Group 2

Most residents are in Group 1: a named GP, free visits, referral-based specialist access. Group 2 lets you see specialists without a referral but with co-payments - rarely worth it for most people. You can switch groups or change GP for a small fee (around DKK 40) via borger.dk.

Don't skip the GP for non-emergenciesTurning up at a hospital or specialist without a referral usually means being redirected - and for out-of-hours issues you must call the medical helpline first. See emergency care for the 1813/112 rules.

Your key to all of this is the yellow health card (sundhedskort), which arrives a few weeks after your CPR number.

Common questions

How do I get a GP?
One is assigned automatically when you register your CPR, based on your address. You can change GP via borger.dk for a small fee.
Is seeing my GP really free?
Yes - GP visits, referred specialists and hospital care carry no co-payment for Group 1 residents. It is funded through tax.
Can I see a specialist directly?
In Group 1, no - you need a GP referral (some exceptions like chiropractors). Group 2 allows direct access but with co-payments.

Verified July 2026 against official sources: lifeindenmark.borger.dk, sundhed.dk, the Danish Medicines Agency and municipal childcare/school pages (Copenhagen, Aarhus). Figures are 2026 levels and reset each January - always check your municipality and region. General information, not medical advice.