HEALTH CARE
The Danish HEALTH CARE system is a remarkable one. It is one in which private citizen's insurance is not provided for by private insurance companies, but by the state itself. Danish citizens do not need to worry about their HEALTH CARE, how it will be provided, and how much is covered, etc. because unlike the U.S. "...hospital, medical, and dental care is provided for without fees" (Einhorn & Logue, 143). Although far from perfect, the Danish HEALTH CARE system does provide quality HEALTH CARE to its entire population, regardless of income, class, gender, or race. Denmark's infant mortality rate is 5.4 per 1,000 people and has a maternity rate of 3.4 per 100,000 live births as well as life expectancies of 72.5 for men and 77.8 for women. These statistics only reinforce the qualtity of Danish HEALTH CARE, proving Denmark to be among the best HEALTH CARE providers in the world (Walter 1).
PENSIONS
Pensions in Denmark work roughly the same as the social security system in the U.S. It provides retired persons (Old Age Pensions) and people with disabilities (Disability Pension) with some income in which to live. Denmark's pensions are obviously aimed at those who are unable to work and support themselves. These pensions are available to everyone regardless of class and social standing, and are sometimes a persons only source of income, therefore they are an integral part of the social welfare system of Denmark.
EDUCATION
Free public education is provided for elementary education in Denmark. However, according to the Danish constitution of 1953, it is the parent's obligation whether to send their children to school. Denmark provides benefits to its students for secondary and university education. These benefits include subsistence (money to live on) and the various HEALTH CARE benefits that are issued to in the working public sector. There are no tuition fees or laws that can be remitted in case of need.
CHILD CARE
The social welfare state has made a strong commitment to its women and children. The system supports the mother's right to work outside the home and the right to public child care. The child care system is publicly funded and organized locally (Walter 1). Another aspect of child care is maternity leave. A woman is allowed 14 weeks maternity leave and four weeks pregnancy leave (before birth). There is also a paternity leave of two weeks. Depending on who a person works for, there are varying pay rates and other pay allowances. A family receives a child allowance each year for each child until that child is 18. In the case of child care there is again no discrimination of class, social status, or income.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Since 1907, the Danish government has been subsidizing the trade unions unemployment funds and this pattern continues today. There are stipulations when claiming unemployment, however. To qualify for this benefit, the recipient must have been a member of an unemployment fund for at least 12 months prior to becoming unemployed and must have worked 26 weeks in the past three years. Unemployment benefits add to a maximum of 90 percent of the employee's previous earnings. People who do not qualify for unemployment benefits include people who due to their own misconduct are unemployed, people on strike, people who voluntarily leave without good cause or illness, and persons receiving old age or disability pensions.
This system is funded by contributions from insured persons, employers, and the government.
Vacations are guaranteed to the wage earner and have been since 1938 when employees were allowed two weeks vacation. This vacation time gradually increased and by 1982 workers were granted five weeks vacation (Miller, 105).
Workers are also protected by something very similar to the U.S. Workman's Compensation. It is fully financed by the employer who has private insurance in case of accidents or occupational diseases.
SELECTIVE WELFARE
The Danish selective social welfare is largely the responsibility of local, rather than national government. The National Assistance Act (1961) "gives local governments the power to help people whose resources are insufficient to take of their basic needs." Costs for selective programs are the responsibility of the local governments, with financial aid from the national government, amounting to about 30% of expenditures.
Local government has the authority to establish nursing homes, homeless shelters, reception homes for children, and institutions for the cure of alcoholism. They give aid to those with insufficient funds. This includes housing allowances which the state has primarily advocated publicly owned housing and rent control so that poor tenants are not taken advantage of by either public or private landlords.
For the most part there is little distinction between selective and universal benefits in Denmark because the government truly is for the people.