Medical treatment without KELA

RSA1 · Post by **RSA1** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:21 am

Can I get medical help if I do not have KELA card ? I am at a long contract here, but I am paid from abroad. I work for british company and contract is all-inclusive. KELA rep. told me, that I can not get KELA card. But how can I have medical help in Finland (Helsinki) ? Or any visit to doctor will cost me the hell of money ?

Please help with information.

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Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:29 am

You should be allright with the Eu health card which you got from the UK before you moved here

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:25 pm

But then again you may not qualify for an EU health card if you are not an EU citizen.......

There is this thing called private health insurance. Usually any half-decent employer who is sending someone abroad to work would ensure the employee has medical cover. I have always had BUPA or something similar when working outside the EU.

Did you have any social security/NHS cover when (if) you worked in the UK?
If you are being paid in UK sterling find out if your employer is paying NI contributions. You may qualify for an EU health card, but only the NHS in the UK can confirm that. As far as KELA is concerned you probably do not exist.

RSA1 · Post by **RSA1** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:44 pm

Hank W. wrote:You should be allright with the Eu health card which you got from the UK before you moved here

The problem is, that I am not EU. I am not from England also. I was hired by british company, and they send me here to perform consulting services for finnish company. They pay me by means of wire transfer from London.

The stupidity of situation is that I have funds, I can pay for medical insurance and I want to get it, but without KELA I can not buy it.

In USA, when I worked there, the only thing requred is SSN. If you can pay - you got everything. It is quite different here...

Is there any way-out ?

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:52 pm

Ah, now that is a bit more complicated then.

RSA1 · Post by **RSA1** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:01 pm

Hank W. wrote:Ah, now that is a bit more complicated then.

But is there any method to break this magic ring ?

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:04 pm

Have the company organize it; if they claim you have "all inclusive" benefits. They should basically make a deal to organize your health stuff with some clinic, just as the Finnish companies do. I know some people have had links to insurance, but can't remember where it popped up...

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 8:43 am

I don't understand why KELA has to enter the equation... Surely a company like BUPA will provide private medical insurance without a KELA card. You can't use KELA services though, you would have to go to a clinic like Medivire (?) or whatever. It will be expensive. If you have no formal residence in Finland then you will be treated same as a tourist (travel insurance?).

Your situation sounds dodgy to me.... the whole set up I mean.... you are a non-EU foreigner working as a contractor for a British company who has an outsourcing deal with a Finnish company.... you are either working on an IT project or building ships, right?

It seems outrageous to me that people are working in Finland, for Finnish companies, with no basic social benefits or protection.

dampa · Post by **dampa** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:51 am

penelope wrote: It seems outrageous to me that people are working in Finland, for Finnish companies, with no basic social benefits or protection.

...and this is kinda sad. Maybe you need to and ask for health insurance and all these benefits because somehow you are working within a Finnish state for a Finnish company if I get it right. They should be able to figure something out for you ...only when you ask

kit · Post by **kit** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 5:47 pm

no KELA card - will i be treated in public health care if i pay? if somebody has replied for this please post it again.before i could see the reply on friday it was deleted.thanx

zam · Post by **zam** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:46 pm

kit wrote:no KELA card - will i be treated in public health care if i pay? if somebody has replied for this please post it again.before i could see the reply on friday it was deleted.thanx

Yes - anyone can go to the public clinics and the clinics do not have a right to leave anyone without needed treatment. However, they have the right to charge for it according to the real incurred expenses (i.e. not the small sums of money that Finns and EU citizens have to pay, but the actual costs).

kit · Post by **kit** » Mon May 01, 2006 7:03 pm

thankyou zam! its a great relief to know that.

Op999 · Post by **Op999** » Thu May 04, 2006 3:36 am

I'm going to Finland in a month, and i don't have health insurance (I'm self employed, although i do have to get some very soon). Think a visit to the dermatologist would be more expensive in Finland or the US?

EP · Post by EP » Thu May 04, 2006 2:13 pm

Private specialists (like dermatologists) charge anything between 50 and 100 €. I don´t know what it costs in US.

Op999 · Post by **Op999** » Fri May 05, 2006 2:24 pm

...from my back (just for precaution), it cost $300. Don't know how much that compares to other doctors, but that was without health insurance. Any ideas/ballpark figures on how much that would go for in Suomi?

I really need to know before I head over there. I have a lump in my back (again), and I need to have it checked out/removed soon, and if I can do it here for cheaper, I'll do it here, but if it will be cheaper there, I prefer to do it in Finland.

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