Norway

A network of governance structures, encompassing health trusts and municipalities, is used to improve the coordination of specialist and primary care. Counties also play a role, providing dental care for all those aged 20 or younger and adults suffering from some specific conditions (until 2023), and, increasingly, coordinating care and providing public health services. The Ministry of Health and Care Services, with the help of its subordinate agencies, is responsible for the planning, regulation, and supervision of the health system.

Over 85% of the health system expenditure is financed by public sources, consisting of general taxation revenues and insurance contributions to the national insurance scheme, while the remaining 15% is financed by private expenditure, largely consisting of household out-of-pocket payments (OOPs). Hence Norway record one of the highest shares of public funding for health care in Europe.

Most GPs are self-employed and work under contract with the municipalities. Specialized outpatient care is usually provided in hospital outpatient departments called polyclinics. Inpatient specialized care is mainly provided by hospital trusts owned by the four Regional Health Authorities. All services except inpatient care and home-based nursing care require some level of cost-sharing.