In Sweden it is a public sector duty to finance and facilitate the provision of health care. It is thus a “Beveridge” health care system. All residents have accordingly the right to obtain the publicly financed health care. The system is decentralized and includes 21 county councils and 290 municipalities. Furthermore, it rests on a democratic platform: each of these authorities is governed by a parliament, with its representatives elected for a four-year period at every general election.