"Pete" wrote in
:
"Bjørnar Bolsøy" wrote

Many European countries have a fully modern health service,
not at least free medical care for everyone (like here
in Norway).


Unless hospitals spring up out of thin air, and doctors and
nurses work gratis, there is no *free*.

The payment you make is merely called something different.

The crucial difference is that it's baked into the
normal taxes and that medicare is given to anyone
whom needs it, nomatter what taxpaying status.

It means if you have an accident, you don't have
to worry.

In many cases you will also get a social refund if you
have direct expenses connected with treatment, for
instance for medicine or physioteraphy treatment due to
an overstrained back or arm.

If the hospital can't treat you, you're transfered to
one that can. In some cases even overseas.

One negative effect, of course, is capasity, the waiting
queues can be long for certain kinds of treatment.
Typically the more severe ones which require complex
treatment. But private clinics are of course an
alternative too.


Regards...