America provides "socialist" federally managed health care for the President, Congressmen, government employees, the military, the aged, and miscellaneous others.
Norway just does it for everyone.
Several years ago I moved to Norway and became a legal resident. That residency qualified me for participation in the Norwegian health care system. In the years I've been here I've had opportunity to use it's services quite a few times for both basic and specialized treatment. Although I have experienced some disappointments, I have generally found the service to be prompt, competent, and even compassionate. I'm expecting the birth of a son in a couple of months, and I will be very happy to introduce him to a life where he need never have fear of inadequate medical care or the financial consequences of illness or disability.
The Norwegian NIS (National Insurance System) was instituted in 1967 and is constantly evolving. It is principally funded through taxes and covers all of Norway's 4.6 million residents. It consumes more than 10% of a GDP which is roughly comparable, per capita, to America's. That comes to between 3 and 5 thousand American dollars per capita per year (depending on which numbers you're looking at), substantially more than the EU average, but I believe this also includes funding of nursing homes, visiting nurses and other assistance.
Nearly all medical care is funded through the NIS, but much of it is performed by private doctors and it is primarily managed through local governments.
Access to primary care physicians is, in my experience, very quick and entirely satisfactory. Specialists, both in and out the hospitals, are more difficult to access for elective procedures (my experience is with ENT matters), and one may have to wait for as much as a several months for some nonessential examinations and procedures. The care when delivered is first rate, however. The cost per visit to a doctor or the hospital is about 50 US dollars, but the total annual expenditure is limited to about 300 dollars.
No one ever waits for any medical emergency. The hospitals are reasonably well staffed and well equipped, especially given the nature of Norway's relative size compared to it's rather small and largely rural and small town population.
The government negotiates for favorable prices for drugs and prosthetics. Incidental prescriptions are paid for by you, but medications for chronic conditions are covered by the NIS. Eye glasses and dental care for adults is not covered, but everything is provided free for children.
Norway is a prosperous country thriving on a combination of private entrepreneurial business with considerable public ownership and regulation. It's blessed with valuable natural resources (as is America), but it's main strength, it seems to me, is that it isn't working against itself. Norwegians don't perceive other Norwegians as the enemy. Norway is more than a country, it's a community.
King Haakon declared at the onset of the German invasion and occupation during WWII: “Alt for Norge”. Norway's social welfare system has also proven that it works the other way too: Norway for all.
Let's hope that my American homeland learns to care for all of it's children soon.