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Medical treatment abroad

When you travel or stay temporarily in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you can obtain medically necessary treatment for a corresponding user fee that the local residents pay if you have a European Health Insurance Card. Medically necessary treatment means treatment that cannot wait until you return home. If you have a European Health Insurance Card, you can obtain treatment also in connection with a chronic illness, pregnancy or childbirth. Order the card well in advance of your travel.

In the Nordic countries you do not necessarily need a European Health Insurance Card, because you can obtain treatment also by presenting a valid passport or other official ID.

Outside Europe, you can obtain treatment for a corresponding user fee as that paid by local residents only in the Australian public healthcare system by presenting the Kela card and your passport. In other countries, you must pay all the costs for the treatment yourself.

Reimbursements for treatment abroad

If you experienced a sudden illness while in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or in Northern Ireland, you can choose reimbursement either under the Finnish legislation or that of the country in which you received the treatment. In neither situation can Kela give advance information on the amount of the reimbursement.

Reimbursement under the Finnish legislation means that the costs are reimbursed as if you had received treatment in a similar situation in the Finnish public healthcare system. When necessary, Kela requests furtherthe information from the public healthcare provider of your place of domicile.

If you choose to be reimbursed according to the legislation of the country in which the treatment was provided, Kela will ask the relevant country for the amount of the reimbursement.

 If you become ill in some other country than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you cannot get reimbursement. 

You can also receive reimbursement for travel expenses. Travel expenses in the EU or EEA countries, Switzerland, Great Britain and in Northern Ireland are reimbursed according to travel to the nearest local place of treatment. If you become ill in some other country than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you cannot receive reimbursement for travel expenses. When you return to Finland, the travel expenses are reimbursed only for the travel expenses incurred in Finland, e.g. going from the airport to the hospital. Please note that for instance the flight from the other country to Finland is thus not reimbursed.

Reimbursement is also paid for medicines purchased abroadmedicines purchased in other EU or EEA countries, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Claiming reimbursement for medical care expenses

If you have yourself paid the costs for medical treatment in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you can claim reimbursement from Kela on form Medical care expenses incurred abroad  SV 128e (pdf). You must claim reimbursement within 6 months from the date of paying the costs. 

Please enclose copies of any receipts, prescriptions and statements on the treatment provided. When necessary, Kela will ask you to obtain translations of the statements on the treatment provided.

You should report your move to Finland in the OmaKela e-service, if

  • you are applying for benefits for the first time after your move to Finland and your right to benefits from Kela has not yet been determined.
  • you have not been awarded the benefit and you circumstances change, you can apply for the benefit again. A change in circumstances can be for instance more working hours or higher pay, following which you meet the minimum entitlement criteria.
  • please note that our e-service is only available in Finnish and Swedish.

You can also complete and submit the form Moving to Finland Y 77e (PDF).

If you receive a benefit from Kela and you are moving abroad, please read more about the payment of benefits when moving abroad.

Information on healthcare services abroad

The website Choosehealthcare.fi provides information about the healthcare systems in different countries. The information is intended as help for you if you need treatment for an acute illness while travelling abroad. The information is also useful if you wish to seek treatment abroad.

Read more

Last modified 4/3/2024