Costs of accompanying person’s accommodation in Finland and abroad

Kela may reimburse the costs of an accompanying person if one is absolutely required for the travel.


You will receive reimbursement for the accompanying person’s travel costs if the treatment personnel have determined that an accompanying person is necessary due to your illness. The accompanying person’s travel costs will also be reimbursed if the participation of a family member in your treatment is necessary.

If the patient is an under-age child, an accompanying person is always necessary. A separate analysis is not required.

A patient will usually have one accompanying person. There may be two accompanying persons in certain specific cases, such as when both parents travel to the hospital with the child in order to receive instructions concerning the child’s home care.

The doctor must justify why a second person needs to attend the treatment in addition to the family member or accompanying person.

Kela reimburses the accompanying person’s costs according to the cheapest means of travel

Kela will reimburse the accompanying person’s travel costs according to what the trip would have cost if the cheapest means of travel were used. If you set off from the same address as the accompanying person using your own car or a taxi, no travel costs that would need to be reimbursed to the accompanying person will be incurred.

The accompanying person’s travel costs to another EU or EEA country or to Switzerland will usually be reimbursed according to actual costs and the cheapest means of public transport when your treatment is arranged

  • based on prior authorisation from Kela (form S2)
  • as an outsourced service from public health care.

Claim reimbursement for the accompanying person’s costs from Kela.