Falling ill when travelling in Finland
In emergencies call the 112 emergency number. If you come from an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can obtain medically necessary treatment with a European Health Insurance Card or a certificate temporarily replacing it. If you come from Australia, you are entitled to medically necessary treatment. If you come from some other country, you are entitled to urgent medical care in Finland.
In emergencies call emergency number 112. An ambulance or medical helicopter will be dispatched if necessary. You can also install the 112 Suomi application free-of-charge on your smart phone to indicate your location to the Emergency Response Centre.
Download the free 112 Suomi application
In an emergency, you have the right to receive urgent medical care anywhere in the Finnish public health system. Urgent medical care refers to the immediate assessment and treatment required, for example, in the case of sudden illness, injury or worsening of a long-term illness.
If your need for treatment is not urgent, you can contact the health centre or hospital emergency care unit in your place of residence. If you are not sure whether your situation requires urgent medical care, you can call the Medical Helpline telephone service at 116117. The Medical Helpline provides free-of-charge telephone service almost everywhere in Finland, around the clock.
Visit the Medical Helpline website to find out where the Medical Helpline operates.
You can also go to a private clinic.
Coming from another EU or EEA country or from Switzerland
You will receive medically necessary treatment in Finland’s public healthcare system if your healthcare costs are covered by another EU or EEA country or Switzerland. Present your European Health Insurance Card or an equivalent temporary certificate to your healthcare provider. If you come from another Nordic country, you can also present an official identity card or passport.
Read more about the European Health Insurance Card
Medically necessary treatment refers to treatment that cannot wait for your return home.
It may involve
- a sudden attack of illness
- treatment required by a chronic condition or
- pregnancy monitoring or childbirth.
Treatment is provided so that you can safely return home in accordance with your original plan. A healthcare professional will assess what kind of treatment you need and how quickly you need to receive it.
I am pregnant
If you come from another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom or Australia, you will receive the care you need for pregnancy and childbirth in public healthcare. A doctor will assess your need for care and take into account how long you will be staying in Finland.
I am chronically ill
You can obtain treatment for a chronic disease by presenting your European Health Insurance Card when you reside temporarily in Finland. This includes any regular treatment required for your condition.
If your illness requires regular treatment while you are staying in Finland, agree with the treatment provider beforehand on the arrangement of treatment. Treatments that need to be arranged in advance include, for example, dialysis, oxygen therapy, specialised care of asthma and chemotherapy as well as echocardiography in chronic autoimmune diseases.
A doctor in the place of treatment will determine what kind of care or clinical examinations will be required to treat your chronic condition. Your treatment will be based on Finnish legislation.
What do I pay?
You will pay the same client fee as the permanent residents of Finland. If you fall ill suddenly and use private healthcare services, you can claim for reimbursements either from your own health insurance institution or Kela
In addition, you can claim for reimbursement from Kela with regard to medication and travels costs, when they relate to medically necessary treatment provided in private or public healthcare. Kela will reimburse you the costs in the same manner as to Finnish residents.
You can receive reimbursements for a return trip to another Nordic country
Kela may reimburse the additional costs of your return trip if you live permanently in another Nordic country. You may be entitled to reimbursement if you have become ill during your temporary stay in Finland and your illness requires you to use a more expensive means of transport on your return trip than was originally intended.
What if I have been overcharged
If you suspect that you have been erroneously charged in public healthcare, contact the treatment provider directly to adjust the client fee.
You can request a change to the invoice by following the contact details on it. You can also claim for reimbursement for the costs of public healthcare from the health insurance institution in your country of residence.
Coming from outside EU countries
You are entitled to urgent medical care within Finnish public healthcare. You are also free to use private healthcare services. You are responsible for all the costs of your treatment, so it is recommended that you take out travel insurance.
Coming from Australia
If you permanently reside in Australia, you are entitled to receive medically necessary treatment within public healthcare during your stay in Finland. You will receive treatment at the same client fee as Finnish residents when you present a valid Australian passport. You can also use a passport from another country if it indicates your unlimited right of residence in Australia. Your permanent address must also be in Australia.
You can also use the services of Finland’s private healthcare and apply to Kela for reimbursement of the cost of medically necessary treatment.
Coming from the United Kingdom
If you arrived from the United Kingdom and are staying in Finland temporarily, you can prove your right to medically necessary treatment with
- a European Health Insurance Card issued during the EU membership of the United Kingdom or the Brexit transition period,
- “a Citizens Rights” card, or
- Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).
With each of these cards, you will also be reimbursed for the costs of treatment provided in private healthcare, medicines prescribed by a doctor and trips made due to the treatment of an illness.
I am pregnant
If you come from the United Kingdom or Australia, you will receive the care you need for pregnancy and childbirth in public healthcare. A doctor will assess your need for care and take into account how long you will be staying in Finland.
If you come from some other country, you are entitled to urgent medical care related to childbirth or pregnancy. You will be responsible for the treatment costs yourself.
I am chronically ill
If you come from the United Kingdom, you can receive medically necessary treatment for your chronic condition with a European Health Insurance Card, a “Citizens Rights” card or a GHIC card. If you come from Australia, present a valid Australian passport.
If you come from some other country, you are only entitled to urgent medical care in Finland and you will have to pay for the treatment yourself.
If your illness treatment while you are staying in Finland, agree with the treatment provider beforehand on the arrangement of treatment.