Social security

Municipalities are responsible for organising healthcare services. Municipal healthcare services are in charge of rehabilitation counselling, rehabilitation, assistive devices, and at-home hospital care. The local government’s healthcare division is responsible for the treatment guarantee and the treatment cooperation between primary healthcare and specialised medical care.

Every health care unit has a designated patient ombudsman who offers advice and information about patients’ rights.

In 2020–2021, the annual maximum limit for out-of-pocket healthcare costs is 683 euros. Customers have to keep track of their annual limit themselves. The fees that count towards this annual healthcare fee limit include short-term inpatient care fees (such as daily hospital charges), healthcare centre fees, outpatient clinic fees, and public-sector physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and desensitisation treatment fees.

The services that do not count towards the annual healthcare fee limit include private-sector laboratory tests and imaging services, ambulance transportation, medical statements, and dental care.

You can access your healthcare documents online in the Kanta.fi service.

On the My Kanta pages, you can keep track of your prescriptions and health data and submit prescription renewal requests online.

Don’t forget about the treatment plan, which is a plan made in cooperation between the patient and the treating physician. Ask about the plan at your next appointment. Remember to keep an up-to-date list of all the medications you take.

Municipalities are responsible for organising social services. Social workers have the duty to offer advice in all social security matters. The social welfare ombudsman offers advice on matters related to social services and customers’ rights.

Municipal social services are in charge of home services, home care, and transport and disability services.

Municipalities also make decisions on matters related to informal care support, supplementary social assistance, and social credit.

To receive a carer’s allowance, you need a medical statement C. As for the granting of supplementary social assistance and social credit, municipalities make their decisions based on their own criteria.

Municipalities also make decisions on the following matters:

• granting of assistive devices, machines, and equipment needed for daily tasks
• extra clothing costs and special costs
• individual mobility services
• transport services with assistant service (medical certificate required)
• service housing
• apartment modifications
• fixed assistive devices and equipment in apartments
• personal assistant services for severely disabled people.

You can consult the employees of Kela if you have any questions about matters such as disability and care allowances, rehabilitation, pension, or reimbursements for medical expenses.

Reimbursements for medication costs

You can claim reimbursement for medicines, moisturising creams, and clinical nutritional products prescribed for the treatment of your disease.

• The annual initial deductible is 50 euros for adults.
• Kela’s basic rate of reimbursement is 40% of the price of the product.
• Pharmacies can, upon request, check directly from Kela whether the customer is entitled to a special reimbursement for a product. People with respiratory diseases are often entitled to a lower special reimbursement, which amounts to 65% of the price of the medicine.
• Some prescription medications are eligible for the higher special reimbursement, which amounts to 100% of the price of the medicine. In this case, the deductible payable by the customer is 4.50 euros per product.
• The annual maximum limit for out-of-pocket pharmaceutical costs is 577.66 euros. Kela keeps track of the customer’s annual maximum limit. Once you reach the annual maximum limit, you will only pay a €2.50 deductible per purchase for your medicines for the rest of the calendar year.

Visit Kela’s Medicinal Products Database to check the price and eligibility for reimbursement of medicines.

Contact Kela

You can book a phone or office appointment online at www.kela.fi/web/en/book-a-time

Kela’s phone services are available on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Housing 020 692 210
• Pensions 020 692 202
• International situations 020 634 0200
• Rehabilitation and disability 020 692 205
• Studies and military service 020 692 209
• Overpayment Recovery Centre 020 634 4940
• Sickness, cards, medication reimbursements, and sickness benefits 020 692 204
• Social assistance 020 692 207
• Customers with valid prohibition of the disclosure of personal data 020 635 3500
• Unemployment 020 692 210
• Parents 020 692 206

The Tax Administration can give you advice on the following tax-related matters:

• special tax deduction for a reduced capacity to pay taxes
• tax credit for household expenses
• home services not subject to VAT
• disability credit (medical statement required)
• vehicle taxes.

For more information about taxes, visit www.vero.fi/en. Customer service of the Finnish Tax Administration 020 497 002 on weekdays 9 a.m.–4.15 p.m.

All citizens are entitled to a legal assistant for legal matters, paid in full or in part by the state. Legal aid covers all matters in the legal field.

For further information on legal aid, visit Oikeus.fi.

Legal aid offices offer free financial and debt counselling services to individuals and self-employed professionals with small-scale businesses.

More information about financial and debt counselling.

Takuusäätiö gives debt counselling on 0800 9 8009 on weekdays 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Their financial advice chat is open from Monday to Thursday 12.30 a.m.–3 p.m.

For more debt-related information, visit the website of Takuusäätiö.

Contact your local TE Office for more information on work ability assessments.

Further information on work ability assessments on the website of TE Services.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom is a licensing, registration, and supervisory authority that offers counselling in all vehicle matters.

For more about vehicles and driving, visit www.traficom.fi.

The offices of Ajovarma Oy are listed online at www.ajovarma.fi/offices.

For advice concerning vehicle taxes, exemption from the base tax of vehicle tax, and tax refunds and relief for people with disabilities, call the Tax Administration on 029 497 150 on weekdays 9 a.m.–4.15 p.m.  

For more about vehicle taxes, visit www.vero.fi/en.

For information about disabled parking permits, call 075 323 9999 on weekdays from 8 a.m.–3.45 p.m.

Pharmaceutical injury insurance covers unexpected, adverse reactions to medicines. The customer service is available on weekdays 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on 010 219 5712.

For more information on pharmaceutical and treatment injuries, visit www.laakevahinko.fi.

The Finnish Patient Insurance Centre handles personal injuries that occur in healthcare. The customer service is available on weekdays 12 a.m.–3 p.m. on 040 450 4590.

For further information, visit www.pvk.fi.

For information about healthcare services abroad, the healthcare of patients visiting Finland, and the European prescription, visit www.eu-healthcare.fi