title: Politics and policies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2003 major reforms of the public pension system in Denmark were implemented. The aim was to reduce the number of early retirees. Focus was changed from limitations to abilities and flexible jobs (flex-jobs) were introduced. However, the criteria for invalidity pensions (IP) in the private sector remained unchanged according to the policies. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of IP in a member owned pension fund-before and after the pension reforms. Furthermore we analyzed the distribution of diagnoses that led to IP and with which mortality these were related.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective design was used. All the applications for IP in Finanssektorens Pensionskasse (FSP) in the period from January 1, 1997 to May 1, 2009 were registered continuously. In total, 317 persons were granted IP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty percent of payouts were related psychiatric disorders, 18% were due to cancer and 52% to other somatic disorders. The mortality for cancer patients was significantly higher than those with other diagnoses. The incidence of IP in FSP was about one third compared to the background population. The incidence of IP peaked in 2001 and 2007 to 2009.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were not able to detect any positive effects from the pension reform, and this corresponds with studies from the Danish public sector. The Danish pension reform was unsuccessful in reducing the number of early retirees, and created a new government supported group of flex-jobber. Future reforms need to coordinate politics and policies.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horwitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018868:Insurance, Disability / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D057766:Policy; D011057:Politics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*