Norwegian social welfare system

What is covered by the Norwegian system?
The Norwegian social welfare system includes health care, disability payments, pensions and survivors benefits. It is administered by NAV, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. NTNU employees are also covered by the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

Health care coverage and finding a doctor
You become a member of the Norwegian National Health Scheme when you receive your national ID number. A few weeks after you receive your ID number you should receive a mailing from NAV in which you are assigned a general practitioner (called fastlege in Norwegian). Health insurance coverage for non-Norwegian students is a little different and depends on what country the student is from. NTNU students, regardless of nationality, have access to a clinic at Gløshaugen. There is also easy access to student mental health counselling, located in the Moholt studentby.

Dentists
Norway's health system does not cover dental visits for adults, but children up to and including age 19 are cared for for free by the Sør-Trondelag County public dental clinics .There are 11 clinics in the greater Trondheim area, with another two dozen throughout the county. Adults can also be treated at these public clinics, or at a private practititioner's office (in Norwegian). There is also a dentist on call on weekends and holidays who can be reached by calling 73 50 55 00, but be aware that if you are an adult, this service costs 75% more than a normal dentist's visit.

Pharmacies/Chemists
The greater Trondheim area is served by a number of chemists, or pharmacies (called apotek in Norwegian), most of which are typically open from 0900-1800 on weekdays and from 0900 to 1500 on Saturdays.

There are a number of pharmacies near the hospital, and the hospital itself maintains a branch pharmacy that is open until midnight every day of the week at Solsiden, at Beddingen 4 (map), in downtown Trondheim.

Doctors can write two types of prescriptions; one, on blue paper, is a medication that you must have to treat a health problem. These types of prescriptions are covered by the health insurance scheme, and so you as the patient pay only a nominal cost for the drug. Prescriptions written on white paper, for medicine that is not medically necessary, can also be filled at the pharmacy, but the patient bears the full cost of the drug. Full-time NTNU students are eligible for a refund for a portion of their medical and dental costs.