New Baby

[Alink]

Its the start of the 8th month of pregnancy for my wife. we are both foreigners(Non-EU). I am a bit confused with social security system (KELA). will the kela cover all the medical expenses during pregnancy including traveling to hospital as well. as we use taxi sometimes now. My wife came to Finland on start of November. She is Russian by nationality. Is she eligible for any kind of funds from the Finnish government? I have a permanent job in Finland and living here for past 1 year now. Its just my salary is not enough to cover all the expenses. as i have to pay 25% tax monthly and apartment rent plus additional expenses.

[Flossy1978]

You need to get your arse down to your local KELA office like yesterday.... Already in her 8th month and you are only now asking about this? It can be that you've now missed out on all you can get because you've left it too late.

I don't believe the government will pay for you to take a taxi to the hospital LOL. Sorry.

[Alink]

ok flossy. i'll get my arse to Kela office and see what they can do. its just my wife arrived not very long ago. she has applied for the kela card. The Kela office only told us about some kela package for the baby. and thats all. And now i can see more expenses coming up. Which i was not sure if will be covered by kela.Yeah better go to kela office than asking on finland forum. Good advise Flossy.kittos

[Flossy1978]

I am not so sure what she'll get. I think there's a cut off period somewhere in the pregnancy where you have to have all the paperwork done and put in your claim for the box/money etc.
I think she'll only get the very basic because she has only just come here, I think so. That's what happened to my Indian friend. She came and didn't get really anything because she hadn't been here long enough, even when she had her child.

Goodluck.

[mie]

"Mothers qualify for the maternity/parental allowance from the 154th day of pregnancy. The mother must have been insured under the National Health Insurance for at least 180 days immediately before the date on which the baby is due."

I think you are too late to get maternity allowance.

http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/english. ... enDocument

[Flossy1978]

Yep, that's what happened to my friend I think.

[Alink]

yeah she doesn't fulfill the 180 days requirement. I asked KELA office also. They said the same. But they were not sure if I will get discount with hospital bills. because its like 300 euros per night to stay at the hospital after giving birth.

[Flossy1978]

Oho. Maybe she won't? But if she has the social security number, then I think she should. Who knows. Goodluck.

[Alink]

thats exactly what i think that some body who have social security number should not be paying 300 euro per night at the hospital. ok thanx guys for the help. I feel much better now

[Flossy1978]

Yeaa, but she hasn't been here very long. Hasn't paid a dime into the system etc, so you can't really expect a country to fund someone in a situation like this or else you'd have every Tom, Dick and Harry coming here just to give birth. It's not very fair to other tax payers or the government.

You will have to pay something even KELA helps you out. I think KELA gives about 40% of medical stuff.

[Alink]

But i am paying 25% tax every month. its like 600 euros per month i have been paying it for the past 7 months now. And this is my baby too you know. I don't think it will be unfair.

[Flossy1978]

Oh well, that's the way it works. You aren't the one giving birth using the resources of the hospital etc.

You have to pay the bill before you can try to get money from KELA anyway, so pay it and then submit the papers/forms and fight it if you aren't happy with their decision. You'll probably get some money off the inital 300 euros. Of course KELA won't pay it all, but they might pay some.

My husband should be paying 33.5% taxes every month (he'll owe taxes next year because he hasn't been paying enough), 25% isn't that bad when you think about it LOL.

[Rip]

i have been paying it for the past 7 months now. And this is my baby too you know. I don't think it will be unfair.

Fair or not, but I'm a citizen from birth in this country and that did not help me and my wife in this respect. If your wife is entitled to KELA card (basically, she has got residence permit for one year or more), you don't need to pay at hospital any more than other residents (or citizens) (The rate for them is (at least in Helsinki) 26€/day(/person) (that is 52€/day if you stay overnight in a "family room", 26€/day if you only visit during day times)

Helsinki hospitals (Naistenklinikka or Kätilöopisto) by the way ask from those without a KELA card a 3500 € "deposit money" in advance. The final bill will be based on (what they calculate as) actual costs (normal easy delivery about 2000€, Caesarean section about 3500€). Afterwards you'd get a refund for any unspent money or additional bill to be paid. A full refund if KELA finds your wife was eligible to Finnish social security prior to the date the baby was born (full refund minus that 26€/day and also any doctor bills prior to the eligibility date) .

Regarding monetary benefits you should be able to get paternity leave (if you wish) and you can fill a "lapsilisä" application either in your name or after your wife has KELA card, in hers. But regarding other benefits I'm afraid your wife is a too recent immigrant to qualify. (apart from asking a refund for a taxi fee - that is actually possible)

[Alink]

Thank you Rip.