The government is to decide how to proceed once it starts hammering out the state budget on Tuesday, according to news agency STT.
Finland’s social affairs and health ministry has proposed to expand a so-called freedom of healthcare trial that offers private medical services to people aged 65 and up, according to news agency STT.
Noting that it has seen the proposal, STT said it was presented to a ministerial working group last Thursday. It said that the government is expected to decide how to proceed with the trial once it starts hammering out the state budget on Tuesday.
The trial was launched last September, allowing 65-and-ups to see private practitioners while only paying the public healthcare fee, with the difference paid by social security agency Kela.
Expanding the pilot programme would increase public expenditures by an estimated 15 million euros in 2027. Continuing the trial in 2028 would cause additional increases in state spending of around 40 million euros, according to STT.
Over the weekend, Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) told newspaper Ilta-Sanomat that, among other things, the age limit of those eligible to take part in the programme would not be changed.
Grahn-Laasonen also said more types of private services eligible for reimbursement may be added to the trial.
“One issue that has come up is, for example, X-rays, because musculoskeletal diseases have become more prominent. Another is vitamin deficiencies and anemia treatments,” she told the paper.
According to the minister, the availability of the private healthcare service compensation trial needs to be better communicated to the public.
