2024-11-272024/25:SoU4 · p.1SoUHealth & social services
Changed age limit for free dental care
Changed age limit for free dental care for young adults
What's at stake: The decision affects dental-care costs for all young adults aged 20 to 23, who would otherwise lose free dental care, while it is intended to free up resources in regional dental care for patients with greater care needs.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether free dental care for young adults aged 20-23 should be abolished so that dental-care resources are instead directed to patients with greater needs, or whether today's age limit for free dental care should remain unchanged.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee shares the government's assessment that free dental care for the 20-23 age group is not compatible with the principle that those with the greatest needs should be prioritised, and that the age limit risks crowding-out effects and capacity shortages in regional dental care. The committee therefore supports the government's bill on a changed age limit.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V, MP)
S, V and MP oppose the government's proposal and want it rejected. They are critical of the government's handling of dental health and point to an earlier inquiry that proposed a new high-cost protection scheme for dental care; lowering the age limit for free dental care instead, they argue, risks delaying a more comprehensive reform and harms young adults' dental health.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: adopting the government's legislative proposal and rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 174–128Nej 111–191
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/14/0/4 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 21/0/0/3 | match | confidence: low | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/1 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/4 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 59/0/0/9 | match | confidence: low | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag approves the government's proposal for 1. Act amending the Dental Care Act (1985:125), 2. Act amending the Act (2008:145) on state dental care support. Thereby the Riksdag adopts proposition 2023/24:158 points 1 and 2 and rejects the motions 2024/25:43 by Karin Rågsjö et al. (V), 2024/25:107 by Fredrik Lundh Sammeli et al. (S) and 2024/25:141 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen antar regeringens förslag till 1. lag om ändring i tandvårdslagen (1985:125), 2. lag om ändring i lagen (2008:145) om statligt tandvårdsstöd. Därmed bifaller riksdagen proposition 2023/24:158 punkterna 1 och 2 samt avslår motionerna 2024/25:43 av Karin Rågsjö m.fl. (V), 2024/25:107 av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S) och 2024/25:141 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP).
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved lowering the age limit for free children's and young people's dental care from 23 to 19 years. The government assesses that lowering the age limit for free dental care creates resources and capacity for a reform of dental care's high-cost protection, where older people with the poorest oral health will be prioritized. Young adults between 20 and 23 years old will be able to receive state dental care support instead of free dental care. State dental care support is financial support consisting of general dental care grants, special dental care grants, and protection against high costs. The new law comes into force on January 1, 2025.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants not to lower age limits for free dental care without corresponding improvements to the dental care system. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 1
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan wants to introduce dental insurance with a high-cost protection so that adults with needs are not forced to refuse dental care, and that dental care is included in healthcare with the same fees.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to introduce dental insurance with a high-cost protection so that adults with needs are not forced to refuse dental care, and that dental care is included in healthcare with the same fees. Instead lowering the age limit for free dental care worsens young adults' dental care and goes in the opposite direction. The plan explicitly states that a large group refrains from dental care for economic reasons, which supports the counter-proposal's line that the issue should be solved through high-cost protection.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill införa en tandvårdsförsäkring med ett högkostnadsskydd så att vuxna med behov inte tvingas tacka nej till tandvård, och att tandvården inkluderas i hälso- och sjukvården med samma taxor. Att i stället sänka åldersgränsen för avgiftsfri tandvård försämrar unga vuxnas tandvård och drar i motsatt riktning. Planen konstaterar uttryckligen att en stor grupp avstår från tandvård av ekonomiska skäl, vilket bär motförslagets linje att frågan ska lösas genom högkostnadsskyddet.
- dental insurance with high-cost protectiondecisive»Vänsterpartiet vill därför införa en tandvårdsförsäkring liknande den som finns inom övrig hälso- och sjukvård med ett högkostnadsskydd som gör att vuxna människor med behov inte ska behöva tacka nej till god tandvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party therefore wants to introduce dental insurance similar to what exists in other healthcare with a high-cost protection that means adults with needs do not have to refuse good dental care.”
- dental care as part of healthcare»Vi vill att tandvården inkluderas i hälso- och sjukvården, med samma« (party programme ↗)“We want dental care to be included in healthcare, with the same”
- economy prevents dental care»Detta innebär att en ganska stor grupp avstår från tandvård av ekonomiska skäl.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“This means that a fairly large group refrains from dental care for economic reasons.”
- needs should guide»Behoven ska styra, du ska inte behöva lösa en privat försäkring för att få en bra sjukvård och tandvård eller en trygg förlossning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Needs should guide, you should not have to arrange private insurance to get good healthcare and dental care or a safe birth.”
The election manifesto makes it a decisive issue to continue increasing resources for welfare throughout the country instead of cutting back, and the party programme demands equivalent access to care for all inhabitants.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto makes it a decisive issue to continue increasing resources for welfare throughout the country instead of cutting back, and the party programme demands equivalent access to care for all inhabitants. Opposing a lowered age limit for free dental care, which makes things worse for young adults, aligns with this. The plan, however, does not address dental care's high-cost protection.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet gör det till en avgörande fråga att fortsätta öka resurserna till välfärden i hela landet i stället för att skära ned, och partiprogrammet kräver likvärdig tillgång till vård för alla invånare. Att motsätta sig en sänkt åldersgräns för avgiftsfri tandvård, som försämrar för unga vuxna, ligger i linje med det. Planen behandlar dock inte tandvårdens högkostnadsskydd.
- increase welfare resourcesdecisive»En avgörande fråga i höstens val är om vi ska fortsätta öka resurserna till välfärden, eller om stora skattesänkningar ska gå före.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A decisive issue in this autumn's election is whether we shall continue to increase resources for welfare, or whether large tax cuts shall come first.”
- more resources for welfare»Öka resurserna till välfärden i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase resources for welfare throughout the country.”
- equivalent access to care»Alla invånare i hela landet ska ha likvärdig tillgång till skola, vård och omsorg.« (party programme ↗)“All inhabitants throughout the country shall have equivalent access to school, care and health services.”
- care without worry»Ingen ska behöva känna oro över att få vård i tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“No one should have to feel worry about getting care in time.”
The plan requires that dental care be equated with other healthcare and included in the same cost-sharing ceiling, and wants to extend rather than reduce free services for young people.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that dental care be equated with other healthcare and included in the same cost-sharing ceiling, and wants to extend rather than reduce free services for young people. To lower the age limit for free dental care runs directly against this, while the counter-proposal's path via a broader reform of the cost-sharing ceiling is the plan's own line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att tandvården jämställs med övrig hälso- och sjukvård och ingår i samma högkostnadsskydd, och den vill utöka snarare än minska avgiftsfriheten för unga. Att sänka åldersgränsen för avgiftsfri tandvård går rakt mot detta, medan motförslagets väg via en bredare reform av högkostnadsskyddet är planens egen linje.
- dental care in the cost-sharing ceilingdecisive»att tandvården ska jämställas med övrig hälso- och sjukvård, och ingå i samma högkostnadsskydd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that dental care shall be equated with other healthcare and be included in the same cost-sharing ceiling.”
- joint cost-sharing ceiling»ingå i ett gemensamt högkostnadsskydd.« (party programme ↗)“be included in a joint cost-sharing ceiling.”
- free care for young people»Sjukvården bör vara avgiftsfri« (party programme ↗)“Healthcare should be free”
- free access for young adults»att preventivmedel ska vara avgiftsfritt upp till 26 år.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that contraceptives shall be free of charge up to age 26.”
flags: citat_migrerat
The plan does not address dental care age limits or the high-cost protection ceiling.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address dental care age limits or the high-cost protection ceiling. The closest governing principle is that public funds shall be managed carefully and put towards the core of welfare, and that care resources shall be directed where needs are greatest. Maintaining free dental care for 20–23-year-olds when it crowds out patients with greater care needs does not align with that principle, so the plan argues against the counter-proposal. But the evidence is weak.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte tandvårdens åldersgränser eller högkostnadsskyddet. Närmast liggande princip är att offentliga medel ska hushållas med och läggas på välfärdens kärna, och att vårdresurser ska styras dit behoven är störst. Att behålla avgiftsfri tandvård för 20–23-åringar när det tränger undan patienter med större vårdbehov ligger inte i linje med den principen, varför planen talar mot motförslaget. Underlaget är dock svagt.
- manage public funds carefullydecisive»Politiken ska hushålla med skattebetalarnas pengar. Mer pengar ska läggas på välfärdens kärna, mindre på bidrag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Politics must manage taxpayers' money carefully. More money should go to the core of welfare, less to benefits.”
- resources where needs exist»Köerna måste kortas och man ska ha rätt att välja bort köerna genom att söka vård i andra regioner. Vi vill skapa fler vårdplatser där det behövs med hjälp av en platsmiljard och bättre stöd till regionerna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Queues must be cut and one should have the right to opt out of queues by seeking care in other regions. We want to create more care beds where they are needed with the help of a hospital investment billion and better support to the regions.”
- equal public welfare»Det som det offentliga finansierar ska vara likvärdigt för alla och med samma goda kvalitet till alla.« (party programme ↗)“What the public finances must be equivalent for all and of the same good quality for everyone.”
The plan's dental care line is gradually increased subsidy rates for groups with the worst oral health and national programs for specific risk groups, that is prioritization by need rather than general fee-free dental care by age.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's dental care line is gradually increased subsidy rates for groups with the worst oral health and national programs for specific risk groups, that is prioritization by need rather than general fee-free dental care by age. Preserving free dental care for 20–23-year-olds when it displaces patients with greater care needs does not follow from the plan. The plan does not mention the age limit, which is why the assessment is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planens tandvårdslinje är en stegvis ökad subventionsgrad för de grupper som har sämst munhälsa och nationella program för särskilda riskgrupper, det vill säga behovsprioritering framför generell avgiftsfrihet efter ålder. Att bevara avgiftsfri tandvård för 20–23-åringar när den tränger undan patienter med större vårdbehov följer inte av planen. Planen nämner inte åldersgränsen, varför bedömningen är härledd.
- prioritize worst oral healthdecisive»Nästa steg är gradvis ökande subventionsgrad för de grupper som har sämst munhälsa och nationella tandvårdsprogram för särskilda riskgrupper.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The next step is gradually increasing subsidy rates for groups with the worst oral health and national dental care programs for specific risk groups.”
- need-based prioritization in dental care»De personer som har sämst munhälsa ska prioriteras.« (party programme ↗)“Those with the worst oral health shall be prioritized.”
- dental care based on need, not income»Ingen ska tvingas avstå från tandvård på grund av låg inkomst.« (party programme ↗)“No one shall be forced to forgo dental care due to low income.”
- general dental insurance»Tandvårdsförsäkringen ska vara generell och stimulera till förebyggande åtgärder och regelbundna« (party programme ↗)“Dental insurance shall be general and encourage preventive measures and regular”
The plan builds healthcare on the principle of human dignity and need, which explicitly requires prioritizations and a boundary against commitments that the individual should finance themselves.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan builds healthcare on the principle of human dignity and need, which explicitly requires prioritizations and a boundary against commitments that the individual should finance themselves. The election manifesto's dental care commitment applies to older people and a lowered cost ceiling, not free dental care for young adults. Keeping the current age limit and referring the question to a broader cost-ceiling reform thus contradicts the plan's prioritization line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger vården på människovärdes- och behovsprincipen, vilket uttryckligen kräver prioriteringar och en avgränsning mot åtaganden som den enskilde själv bör finansiera. Valmanifestets tandvårdsåtagande gäller äldre och ett sänkt högkostnadsskydd, inte avgiftsfri tandvård för unga vuxna. Att behålla den nuvarande åldersgränsen och hänvisa frågan till en bredare högkostnadsskyddsreform strider därför mot planens prioriteringslinje.
- the needs principle requires prioritizationdecisive»värde. Men en hälso- och sjukvård byggd på människovärdes- och behovsprincipen kräver prioriteringar.« (party programme ↗)“value. But healthcare built on the principle of human dignity and need requires prioritizations.”
- boundary of collective financing»som inte omfattas av en solidarisk finansiering. Sådana insatser bör den enskilde själv välja, finansiera och« (party programme ↗)“that are not covered by collective financing. Such services should be chosen, financed and”
- dental care prioritizes older people»Stärkt tandvård för äldre bland annat genom att sänka högkostnadsskyddet för tandvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthened dental care for older people including by lowering the cost ceiling for dental care.”
- dental care as part of healthcare»Tandvården är en del av hälso- och sjukvården.« (party programme ↗)“Dental care is part of healthcare.”
Dental care age limits are not addressed in the plan.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
Dental care age limits are not addressed in the plan. The closest-lying principle is that politics must prioritise and exclude, that tax funds shall be used where needs are greatest and that queues in welfare are a failure. If free dental care for 20–23-year-olds crowds out patients with greater care needs, the plan's prioritisation principle argues for a lower age limit, and thus against the counter-proposal's requirement to push the question to a broader high-cost protection reform.
Original (Swedish)
Tandvårdens åldersgränser behandlas inte i planen. Närmast liggande princip är att politiken måste prioritera och välja bort, att skattemedel ska användas där behoven är störst och att köer i välfärden är ett misslyckande. Om avgiftsfri tandvård för 20–23-åringar tränger undan patienter med större vårdbehov talar planens prioriteringsprincip för en sänkt åldersgräns, och alltså mot motförslagets krav att skjuta frågan till en bredare högkostnadsskyddsreform.
- prioritise and excludedecisive»Politiken har en viktig uppgift att prioritera och välja bort,« (party programme ↗)“Politics has an important task to prioritise and exclude,”
- queues are a failure»Köer till välfärdstjänster är ett misslyckande« (party programme ↗)“Queues for welfare services are a failure”
- what can wait»Vi vet vad som måste göras – och vad som får vänta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We know what needs to be done – and what can wait.”
- manage tax funds carefully»Statens utgifter ska minska – vi ska stoppa slöseriet med skattepengar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“State expenditure shall decrease – we shall stop the waste of tax money”
The plan's ambition is that the public sector shall take the same responsibility for citizens' oral and dental health as for other health and that all citizens shall be offered dental care on the same terms as other care.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's ambition is that the public sector shall take the same responsibility for citizens' oral and dental health as for other health and that all citizens shall be offered dental care on the same terms as other care. Lowering the age limit for free dental care goes in the opposite direction, whereas the counter-proposal's approach of taking a broader grip on the high-cost protection aligns with the plan's commitment. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planens ambition är att det offentliga ska ta samma ansvar för medborgarnas mun- och tandhälsa som för annan hälsa och att alla medborgare ska erbjudas tandvård på samma villkor som annan vård. Att sänka åldersgränsen för avgiftsfri tandvård går i motsatt riktning, medan motförslagets linje att i stället ta ett bredare grepp om högkostnadsskyddet ligger nära planens åtagande. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav.
- dental care as other caredecisive»Ambitionen ska vara att det offentliga ska ta samma ansvar för medborgarnas mun- och tandhälsa, som för annan hälsa.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The ambition shall be that the public sector shall take the same responsibility for citizens' oral and dental health as for other health.”
- equal terms for dental care»Att alla medborgare ska erbjudas tandvård på samma villkor som annan vård« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That all citizens shall be offered dental care on the same terms as other care”
- good and accessible care»Sverigedemokraterna anser att medborgare i ett högskatteland har rätt att förvänta sig en god och tillgänglig sjukvård, även utanför storstäderna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Sweden Democrats believe that citizens in a high-tax country have the right to expect good and accessible health care, even outside major cities.”
- strong welfare»Sverigedemokraterna vill satsa på en stark välfärd och samhällsservice i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Sweden Democrats want to invest in strong welfare and public services throughout the country.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:SoU4)
- Committee report full text (HC01SoU4)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:107 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:158 Ändrad åldersgräns för avgiftsfri tandvård av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:141 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:158 Ändrad åldersgräns för avgiftsfri tandvård av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:43 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:158 Ändrad åldersgräns för avgiftsfri tandvård av Karin Rågsjö m.fl. (V)
- Proposition 2023/24:158 — Ändrad åldersgräns för avgiftsfri tandvård
Source: The Swedish Parliament