Seeking treatment abroad with a prior authorisation pursuant to the EU Regulation

What are the grounds for obtaining a prior authorisation?

The criteria for obtaining a prior authorisation are laid down in the EU Regulation 883/2004. When deciding on a prior authorisation, the applicant’s health status and the likely course of the illness are taken into consideration.

Kela will always grant a prior authorisation if the following conditions are met:

• your treatment need is medically justified
• you would be entitled to the treatment in question within the public healthcare system of Finland and
• the Finnish public health system is unable to arrange for treatment within the treatment time guarantee.

The prior authorisation may be denied if:

• the treatment is not available or provided in Finland in public healthcare or
• the Finnish public healthcare can organise the treatment or similar treatment within the treatment time guarantee.

What do I need to do when I travel abroad for treatment with a prior authorisation?

1. Seek a treatment provider that suits you and find out whether it accepts the prior authorisation. Ensure that the treatment provider operates with appropriate licences in the country in question.
2. Apply for a prior authorisation from Kela. Kela will grant the authorisation, if public healthcare recommends it.
3. Agree on the treatment arrangements with the treatment provider.
4. Submit the requisite medical records to the treatment provider and, if necessary, have them translated into a language that the treatment provider understands. You can print the information from the MyKanta service.
5. Take with you the prior authorisation form sent to you by Kela.
6. You will pay the local client fee for the treatment. You can claim reimbursement from Kela retrospectively for trips, medication and residence. In some cases, you can also claim reimbursement for the costs of an accompanying person.
7. Remember that treatment is provided in accordance with the national legislation and healthcare system of each respective country.
8. Be sure to request the patient records relating to your treatment to take with you to Finland.
9. The statutory patient insurance of the country providing treatment is applied in the case of treatment injuries. You cannot receive compensation from Finland for a treatment injury incurred abroad. You must apply for compensation from the country that provided the treatment. However, possible medically necessary follow-up treatment can be provided in Finland.

Apply for a prior authorisation from Kela.

Print out your patient records from MyKanta.

Kela’s Centre for International Affairs will help you in applying for a prior authorisation if necessary.

Reimbursement of travel costs when seeking treatment with a prior authorisation

If Kela has granted you a prior authorisation for treatment, your travel costs will be reimbursed retrospectively from Finland up to your place of treatment. You must generally only pay the deductible yourself.  Kela will always reimburse for travel costs according to the cheapest means of travel.

If you seek treatment with a prior authorisation, you can also get reimbursement from Kela for the costs of accommodation related to your treatment. In addition, you can also get reimbursement for the costs of an accompanying person if the healthcare system considers it necessary for you to have an accompanying person with you.

See also these topics:

• Country-specific information about health services