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MEETING WAS SO LARGE THAT SOME
HAD TO BE TURNED AWAY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO WATCH THE
MEETING, THOUGH, FOR AN OVERFLOW
ROOM.
>>> WELL, TONIGHT WE CONTINUE
WITH OUR SERIES OF REPORTS ON
THE QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE IN
OTHER COUNTRIES AND HOW THEY
COMPARE TO HEALTH CARE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
TONIGHT, NORWAY.
NORWAY RANKED EIGHTH IN A
EUROPEAN QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE
SURVEY.
LIFE EXPECTANCY IN NORWAY IS
80 1/2 YEARS.
NORWAY'S UNIVERSAL CARE SYSTEM,
THOUGH, IS MOSTLY FUNDED BY
PUBLIC MONEY AND THE TAX RATE
REFLECTS THAT.
NORWAY HAS AN INCOME TAX RATE OF
MORE THAN 45%.
>> Reporter: IN NORWAY, THE
GOVERNMENT PROVIDES UNIVERSAL
HEALTH CARE TO ALL CITIZENS.
BUT A COMMON PROBLEM PATIENTS
ENCOUNTER IN SUCH A SINGLE-PAYER
SYSTEM, LONG WAIT TIMES FOR
ELECTED PROCEDURES.
>> THE BIG PROBLEM IN NORWAY IS
WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN GET THE
CARE.
WAITING LISTS ARE EXTENSIVE.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY PASSED A LAW TO
REQUIRE THAT PEOPLE BE EVALUATED
WITHIN 30 DAYS.
>> Reporter: NORWAY, A WEALTHY
COUNTRY OF MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION
PEOPLE CAME UP WITH AN
INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO THEIR
WAITING PROBLEM.
>> THE GOVERNMENT TOOK ACTION.
SO THEY WILL ACTUALLY SEND YOU
TO SWEDEN OR TWO DENMARK TO GET
THAT PROCEDURE DONE IF YOU'RE
ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT
HAVE A LONG WAITING LIST.
AND THEY'LL PAY FOR THE
TRANSPORTATION FEES AND THINGS
LIKE THAT.
>> Reporter: THE NORWEGIAN
GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO PAY FOR
WHATEVER CARE THE DOCTOR DEEMS
MEDICALLY NECESSARY.
NORWAY SPENDS MORE ON HEALTH
CARE PER CAPITA PER PERSON THAN
ANY OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRY.
AT $4,763, SECOND ONLY TO THE
UNITED STATES, WHICH SPENDS
$7,290.
>> THE IDEA IS THAT EVERYONE
PAYS INTO THE NORWEGIAN HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM.
AGAIN, EVERYONE GETS COVERED,
WITH GENEROUS BENEFITS, AND
EVERYONE GETS CARE.
>> Reporter: THE GENEROUS
BENEFITS INCLUDE FREE HOSPITAL
STAYS, FREE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,
AND SICK PAY.
>> IF YOU BECOME SICK FOR UP TO
A YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT WILL,
EFFECTIVELY -- AND YOUR
EMPLOYER, WILL EFFECTIVELY PAY
YOUR SALARY.
>> Reporter: HEALTH CARE COSTS
CONSUME 8.9% OF GDP VERSUS 16%
OF GDP IN THE U.S.
THE HEALTH SYSTEM KNOWN AS THE
NATIONAL INSURANCE SCHEME, IS
FINANCED BY GENERAL TAX REVENUE.
NORWEGIANS ALSO PAY A SMALL
COPAYMENT FOR OUTPATIENT
TREATMENT.
PRIVATE INSURANCE DOES NOT PLAY
A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN NORWAY.
30,000 PEOPLE ARE ESTIMATED TO
HAVE SUPPLEMENTAL PRIVATE
INSURANCE.
MOST PEOPLE IN NORWAY ARE
RELATIVELY PLEASED WITH THEIR
GENEROUS HEALTH BENEFITS.
>> NORWEGIANS ACTUALLY SEEM
FAIRLY SATISFIED, OVERALL.
THERE ARE FREQUENT COMPLAINTS
ABOUT THE WAITING LISTS, BUT BY
AND LARGE, NORWEGIANS DON'T SEEM
TO BE PARTICULARLY INCLINED TO
UPROOT OR TO MAKE DRASTIC
CHANGES TO THEIR SYSTEM.
>> THE NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT,
THOUGH, IS FAIRLY EXPLICIT ABOUT
THE FACT THAT IT RATIONS CARE.
IT HAS A MEDICAL ETHICS BOARD