St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-06-20


DIR. Evang is currently in
World Health Organization meet
ing in Minneapolis. He spoke ir
special session at Group Health
Mutual. $500 Como, st. Paul.
An active participant In the AZ
fairs Of Norways powerful laboi
party, he emphasized that trade
unions and cooperatives in his
country are considered fully re.
sponsibie agencies. In fact these
organizations often start signifi'
cant social reforms.
According TO Or. Eyang. pre-
paid medical service In the United
states today In about as far ad'
vanced as Norwegian efforts were
around 1900. He said small health
groups sponsored there by unions
and co-opa merged into one large
government body about 10 years
later.
An Citizens Under Plan
Every Norwegian citizen Is now
automatically a member Of the
government prepaid m edical
pian," he said. Each citizen pays
from about IN per cent to "a
per cent OF his income according
10 It's size. The employer, the
community and the government
also contribute"
Every Family Covered
DR.. Evang said the Norwegian
family In covered on doctor and
hospital bills for an indefinite per-
iod. There Is a slight charge for
drugs and medicines but a re-
fund Is made when prolonged use
becomes necessary. During an III
ness the government health in
surance plan covers 80 per cent
OF tho wage earner's income. THE
doctors fees are fixed after
period OF collective bargaining be-
tween the medical association and
the government" he pointed out.
There are also many doctors ON
the government payroll Norway
IN divided into districts and a pub
lie health doctor Is based In each
district on a part-time salary, He
also engages IN private practice"
Fun time government doctors
are hospital specialists, DIR. Evang
said. And only specialists work In
the hospitals This Is called group
practice and along with their hos
pitAl duties, these specialists also
conduct educational sessions for
doctors in local areas.
Things are loosening up IN this
country" Or. Evang commented,
II recall during the Second World
War that during my visits here
talk about prepaid public health
practices were taboo. Now when
people find out I am doctor
from another country they Inn
mediately assail doctors here.
COST OF Services Too High
They don't attack medical abll
ity but they speak forcefunJ
against the cost OF services"
A question from Union Ad-
vocate Staffman Bnl Gydesen
quericd whether soclallEed medi-
cine destroyed Norwegian med
Ical incentive.
DR. Eavng answered. "Of cours
not. But you must understand SOC
ialized medicine Is not in IN
scandinavian vocabulary, Fror
our point OF view we do not lmo,
what soclaliEed medicine mean
In Norway, the more a doctC
knows. the better he becomes an
tho moro opportunity he has to IL
crease his practice or 10 win
government position"
How do you earn money for r
search ?" was another question.
Betting ON soccer Is legaliE,
In Norway" answered DIR, Evan
''rhe income finances researc
hospitals and youth programs I"
Group Health legal counsel Ho
ace Hansen commented on 4
team valua OF a group OF spe
ialists serving the community fro
a medical center, that the laymD
Is then assured OF quality cont
and top-drawer service.
DR.. Evang agreed on the val
OF such centers and sighted specil
list group practice as function
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