Warning: long post and only indirectly BF related.
When we lived in the US, we paid somewhat lower taxes.  We also paid much
more out of pocket for health services, both because the coverage was not as
complete and because the actual fees for services are an order of magnitude
higher in the US.  The sum of taxes plus what we paid for of health services
was about the same, but here more of it is tax and less of it is direct
payment for health services.  Most physicians are salaried.  They earn well,
but so does most everyone else too.  This, of course, means that the tax
base is healthy, and it really needs to be or the system would simply
collapse on itself.  We are seeing an alarming rate of increase in the
numbers of disability pensioners and this is a real threat to the welfare
state, which needs to have the majority of adults in the work force to pay
for itself.  And Norwegians joke a lot about taxes, and they don't enjoy
paying taxes any more than anyone else does.  Me, I don't mind so much
because I would rather pay the higher taxes here in exchange for the many
tangible benefits of living in this country.

And Cheryl, tell your husband the business world doesn't 'want' to pay for
these things here any more than the business world anywhere else!  But it's
the law, so they don't have a choice.  That also means no business has an
edge on any other business, because they all have to do it.  Life is tough.

The only health insurance we pay for directly now is through our travel
insurance, for when we travel to countries without reciprocity arrangements
with Norway, and for transport home if we need that due to illness or injury
arising while abroad.

We pay a deductible for outpatient services, up to a maximum of about
$160.00 this year (the amount is periodically adjusted according to consumer
price index).  That deductible is per adult family member.  Children under
10 pay no deductible, and other minors' deductibles are combined with one of
the parents.  Once you have paid the maximum in a calendar year, you don't
pay any more deductibles, and if you have a chronic illness or are on a
fixed income below a certain level, as are some pensioners, you don't pay
any deductibles at all.  There is no deductible for any pregnancy-related
health care.  Many prescription drugs are included in the plan as well,
depending on how essential they are for life, and the lobbying about what
new drugs to add to that list is fierce indeed.  But when I want to buy OTC
ibuprofen tablets, they cost $2-3 for 20 tablets, which prompted a friend of
mine to slip a lifetime supply of them from a discount chain store in the US
into my bag last time I visited.  The price tag for $3.95 was still on it.

When I went for my regular gyn. check this year, it cost me about $25 in
all.  Exam, lab work, the works.  I was referred for a more detailed work-up
for one problem, at the hospital out patient clinic, involving an x-ray, an
ultrasound, and exams by two different surgeons (I am fine, BTW).  That cost
me just over $30.  To put it in perspective, it takes me about 3 hours to
net $30 from my work.  Seems reasonable enough to me.

I have gathered that my hourly wage is lower here than it would be in the US
for the same kind of work.  But when we examine our disposable income (the
money WE can decide freely how to spend), it seems we come out better than
our friends who live in the US.  Most people here accept the premise that
those who have Plenty of Money should help pay the way for those who have
less.  That way, everyone has the same access to basic services, and we have
only a VERY limited private health service, which is where you will find
most of the cosmetic surgery, for example.  To what degree that should be
included in 'health services' is a matter of discussion, IMO.

The down side of this is that there is no competition, which means there is
little incentive to be efficient, and there are unacceptably long waits for
many non-emergency services, such as 6-12 months for a hip replacement.
This is despite the density of health personnel in the population, which was
about the same as Minnesota or Washington last time I checked.  I think we
will see planning strategies in future to rectify this within the public
sector, but the concept of universal access to health care through public
financing is very basic here.  Even the libertarians don't dare oppose it,
no kidding.

That mothering is public health work, deserving of pay, is something we need
to be vigilant about guarding.  The current societal awareness of the
benefits of letting mothers choose to be near their babies is not static.

BTW, we also have one of the highest per capita foreign aid budgets in the
world, though I would not like to start a thread on how that is administered
because it is off-topic, and besides, I am not well-informed enough.  And we
pay about $4 a gallon for gas (as an oil-exporting country this is
impressive), and we just look the other way and tank up whenever we need to.
Some people think we have it too good.  I have a hard time arguing with
that.

Hope this answers some of the questions in Cheryl D. Marian's post.
cheers
Rachel Myr, Kristiansand, Norway

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