Norway general practitioners face scrutiny over reimbursements and sick leave rules

In Norway, top general practitioners received an average of nearly 4 million NOK in state reimbursements in 2025. Data from Helfo shows that the highest-earning physician, Elena Aristoff of Holmenlegene AS, received approximately 5.3 million NOK. Another high earner, Dawit Binyiam, received nearly 4.3 million NOK, attributing the increase to a higher workload following a colleague's departure.

Hans-Christian Myklestul, leader of the Norwegian Association of General Practitioners, stated that high reimbursement amounts are primarily linked to heavy workloads, noting that the system is designed to pay doctors based on patient volume. In 2025, Helfo paid a total of 33.7 billion NOK in reimbursements to the health sector.

Simultaneously, general practitioners, patients, and relatives held demonstrations in Oslo, Bergen, and Tromsø against new sick leave regulations. Protesters argue that new fee structures, which incentivize doctors to issue partial rather than full sick leave, could compromise medical integrity and create mistrust between doctors and patients. Critics claim these changes are aimed at reducing public welfare expenditures rather than improving health outcomes.