Public healthcare--welfare, market share or laissez-faire?--a Sentosa Carlsberg skytower view

ABSTRACT

How much the Government should provide for its people in sickness and in health, till death do us part, is open to different interpretation in different societies. One of the great paradoxes is that welfare states with high taxation can be globally competitive, innovative, successful market economies, and still provide quality universal healthcare. The Nordic countries, classical welfare states, have achieved top global ranking in economic competitiveness. Denmark's people are the most satisfied with their healthcare in the world, and the world's fourth most responsive healthcare system. This paper examines some of the factors that have made Denmark a successful, open and civil society that provides free-access healthcare to all of its people.