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Sweden’s journey toward universal health coverage evolved over a century, beginning with policies aiming to provide access for the neediest and culminating in mandatory insurance and equal healthcare rights for all by 1955. Legal guarantees for horizontal equity (equal access for all) emerged in 1983, followed by vertical equity (priority based on need) in 1997, with later reforms introducing free choice and privatization to address access challenges. Though Sweden continues to rank high in affordability and equity, emerging private insurance and organizational barriers have begun to challenge universal access, raising questions about the future trajectory of its welfare model