Accessing healthcare before being issued a personal identification number?

[FinnishCoconuts]

We came to Finland two weeks ago and it seems like it will take some time for my kids and spouse to get Finnish personal identification numbers. Probably at least a month. What happens if we need necessary healthcare in the meantime? Do we have to pay our of pocket or will it be settled after we officially get our Finnish residency?

[FinlandGirl]

We came to Finland two weeks ago and it seems like it will take some time for my kids and spouse to get Finnish personal identification numbers. Probably at least a month. What happens if we need necessary healthcare in the meantime? Do we have to pay our of pocket or will it be settled after we officially get our Finnish residency?

Technically, getting a personal identification number does not imply being eligible to anything.

Paying out of your pocket would be in private healthcare, and Kela anyway only reimburses a tiny part of that.

Kela coverage starts at the day of the move, they are already covered in public healthcare.

Trying to book non-urgent healthcare without a personal identification number would likely be a pain, but there shouldn't be any real problem in an emergency.

[FinnishCoconuts]

Kela coverage starts at the day of the move, they are already covered in public healthcare.

That's what I was thinking, but I can't find that explicitly stated anywhere.

When my wife had to have emergency surgery during a visit to Sweden a few years ago, they issued her a temporary number. I assume it works similarly in Finland. But afterwards they sent the bill for the procedure to us in the US, which was later reimbursed by our US health insurance. But now, since we've actually moved, our US insurance has expired.

[betelgeuse]

Trying to book non-urgent healthcare without a personal identification number would likely be a pain, but there shouldn't be any real problem in an emergency.

They must have a relatively straightforward process for this already due to having to serve EHIC holders.

Technically, getting a personal identification number does not imply being eligible to anything.

To expand on this the relevant status is having a municipality of residence in the population register. It will be backdated. For example, for third-country nationals:

"A municipality of residence may be granted from the date on which the conditions for receiving a municipality of residence are met. However, the date on which the municipality of residence is granted cannot go back more than one month of the date on which you submitted the notification."

https://dvv.fi/en/municipality-of-resid ... -countries

This can then be used to adjust any invoices from healthcare after the fact.

[FinnishCoconuts]

To expand on this the relevant status is having a municipality of residence in the population register. It will be backdated. For example, for third-country nationals:

"A municipality of residence may be granted from the date on which the conditions for receiving a municipality of residence are met. However, the date on which the municipality of residence is granted cannot go back more than one month of the date on which you submitted the notification."

https://dvv.fi/en/municipality-of-resid ... -countries

This can then be used to adjust any invoices from healthcare after the fact.

Perfect, that's what I was looking for. Now we can have some more peace of mind. Thank you both so much.