Treatment of chronic diseases in Finland

You can obtain treatment required by a chronic disease by presenting your European Health Insurance Card when you reside temporarily in Finland. If you come from outside the EU, EEA, United Kingdom or Switzerland, you are only entitled to urgent medical care and you will be responsible for the treatment costs yourself. If your disease requires regular treatment, agree on the treatment in advance with the treatment provider.


A doctor or other health care professional in the place of treatment will determine what kind of care or clinical examinations will be required to treat your chronic condition. The kind of treatment you will receive is always determined in accordance with Finnish legislation.

With the European Health Insurance Card, you will pay the same client fee as local residents. If you have paid all the expenses for necessary treatment and examinations relating to a chronic disorder, apply reimbursements from Kela or from your own health insurance institution.

You are also free to seek treatment Finland for a chronic disorder. As a rule, if you travel to Finland to seek treatment, you will usually be responsible for the costs. Ask about possible reimbursements and prior authorisation that would enable treatment from your own health insurance institution.

If you come from outside the EU, EEA, United Kingdom or Switzerland, you are only entitled to urgent medical care. As a rule, you will be responsible for the treatment costs yourself.

Agree on treatment beforehand if advance arrangements are required

If your illness requires regular treatment while you are temporarily 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.