The Norwegian National Insurance scheme (Folketrygden) – the public social security system in Norway. To be entitled to benefits, you must be a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. This applies to all benefits from NAV and health service benefits (treatment by a doctor, psychologist or expenditure towards medicines of major importance in long-term use). As a general rule all persons resident in Norway are members of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. If you take up legal employment in Norway, you automatically become a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme from your first working day. As an employee, you pay a national insurance contribution of 7.8 per cent of your gross income. The contribution is deducted together with tax.
Primary doctor – everyone registered as resident in a Norwegian municipality is entitled to attend a primary doctor. This is called the primary doctor scheme. A primary doctor can apply to hospitalise a patient, prescribe medicines and put patients on sick leave. The primary doctor refers patients to a physiotherapist or a medical specialist if necessary. You must pay a consultation fee when you visit your primary doctor, unless you have an exemption card.
Patient charge – a fixed part of the cost of public health services. This applies to medical treatment, buying medicines on a refundable prescription, physiotherapy, seeing a psychologist and travel expenses to consultations and treatment appointments.
Exemption card – if you have paid a certain amount in patient charges in the course of a year, you may be eligible for an exemption card. This means that you are exempt from paying patient charges for the rest of the calendar year.
Emergency and accident department – accepts patients in need of immediate help, i.e. treatment of illnesses and injuries that cannot wait until the next day. Accident and emergency departments are staffed by nurses and doctors. You can also ask for advice by phone.
European health insurance card – entitles you to health services when staying temporarily in another EEA country or in Switzerland. To be entitled to a European health insurance card, the primary condition is that you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance scheme, and that you are a Norwegian national or a national of another EEA country or Switzerland.
