There will be amendments to the reimbursement model for seeking treatment independently. Our website content will be updated as soon as the amendments take effect. Read more: Changes to reimbursement of costs for treatment abroad

Rehabilitation costs abroad

You can receive reimbursement from Kela retrospectively for the costs of rehabilitation received abroad. The entitlement to reimbursement and its amount vary based on whether you are receiving reimbursement by virtue of the Health Insurance Act or the Act on rehabilitation provided by Kela.


If your need for rehabilitation is the result of a traffic accident, occupational accident or occupational disease, please contact your insurance company in order to determine the level of reimbursement. In this case, Kela is not responsible for the reimbursement of costs.

Reimbursement of costs of rehabilitation abroad

You can receive reimbursement from Kela retrospectively for the costs of medical rehabilitation received in another EU or EEA country or in Switzerland if, for example, you have sought physiotherapy services or fallen suddenly ill and paid the costs of medical rehabilitation related to the treatment yourself.

If you travel to another EU or EEA country or Switzerland to seek medical rehabilitation, such as physiotherapy, costs will be reimbursed in the same manner as if you were receiving similar rehabilitation within Finland’s private health care.

If the rehabilitation is considered medically necessary treatment according to the legislation of the EU or EEA country in question or Switzerland, the treatment was provided in this country and you have paid all costs yourself, you can receive reimbursement up to the amount that would have been the cost of similar rehabilitation within public health care in your municipality of residence.

  • The treatment provider will decide whether the medical rehabilitation is considered medically necessary.
  • The treatment provider will also decide if you will receive medical rehabilitation with the European Health Insurance Card.
  • Usually, rehabilitation is not considered necessary medical care and you cannot receive it with the European Health Insurance Card.

Claim reimbursement for costs incurred due to the rehabilitation from Kela.

If you have sought health services for the purposes of rehabilitation outside of the EU or EEA countries or Switzerland, you will not receive reimbursement for the costs from Kela.

Psychotherapy abroad

Kela will only reimburse the costs of psychotherapy provided in an EU or EEA country or in Switzerland if the psychotherapy was administered by a doctor. The grounds for reimbursement are Kela’s tariffs for reimbursement (tariff list in Finnish).

The costs of rehabilitative psychotherapy administered abroad are not reimbursed.