Medical coverage for an infant without Kela

[_doctor]

Hi all

I am a Finnish citizen who lived outside Finland for several years, wife is a Russian citizen without a residence permit yet (on a visa for now) and our 4 months old daughter who has both Russian and Finnish citizenships. We are moving to Helsinki in a couple of weeks. None of us is covered by Kela at the moment and it will take time to get kela coverage, especially for the wife (I guess they might require her to obtain RP yet).

So at the moment of moving to Finland we need to get some insurance coverage that doesn't depend on kela.

- Do you know if some insurance companies offer medical insurance for the people who are not covered by kela? Expensive?
- Would Neuvola provide advices and help for the kelaless baby?
- Or maybe there are private clinics, private doctors (or maybe even family doctors?) who can assist in this kind of situations? And can be covered by insurance?
- Or if you or your friends had similar situation yourself, how did you solve it?

[heretostay]

Our baby is in the exact same situation. Residence permit in progress but no henkilötunnus or kela. All healthcare services have been provided for free through our local terveysasema. Neuvola, doctor, vaccinations, etc.

[_doctor]

Wow! So you just come in, they see an infant and don't ask for kela or whatever else?

[betelgeuse]

I am a Finnish citizen who lived outside Finland for several years, wife is a Russian citizen without a residence permit yet (on a visa for now) and our 4 months old daughter who has both Russian and Finnish citizenships. We are moving to Helsinki in a couple of weeks. None of us is covered by Kela at the moment and it will take time to get kela coverage, especially for the wife (I guess they might require her to obtain RP yet).

Primary care of controlled by having a municipality of residence. Kela is only for things like compensations of medicines.

- Do you know if some insurance companies offer medical insurance for the people who are not covered by kela? Expensive?
- Would Neuvola provide advices and help for the kelaless baby?
- Or maybe there are private clinics, private doctors (or maybe even family doctors?) who can assist in this kind of situations? And can be covered by insurance?
- Or if you or your friends had similar situation yourself, how did you solve it?

The Kela decision is retroactive to the first day of eligibility. You can just pay out of pocket and apply when approved.

[tavastia]

Primary care of controlled by having a municipality of residence.

For your wife she cannot have municipality of residence before she has the RP. For you and baby because you are Finnish is not a problem.

[betelgeuse]

Primary care of controlled by having a municipality of residence.

For your wife she cannot have municipality of residence before she has the RP. For you and baby because you are Finnish is not a problem.

And what is your basis for this statement? Kotikuntalaki 4 § 1 mom 4 kohta: "4) hän on sellaisen henkilön perheenjäsen, jolla on Suomessa tässä laissa tarkoitettu kotikunta; taikka"

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/ ... 40201#L2P4

[tavastia]

Field experience. Just walk-in Maistratti or other office in Finland without RP and see what you get.

[heretostay]

Wow! So you just come in, they see an infant and don't ask for kela or whatever else?

The neuvola asked if the baby had a henkilötunnus yet about a month ago. We said no and it was no problem. To get the care, I just called to the neuvola once the baby arrived in Finland and made an appointment. No payment has been asked of us and we have not received any bills either. And we have been receiving care since July.

[betelgeuse]

Field experience. Just walk-in Maistratti or other office in Finland without RP and see what you get.

I would be really interested to see what the administrative decision refusing the registration says. Do you have one at hand?

[tavastia]

There was no decision because I could not even register her before having the RP. Just walk-in any Maistratti and ask to register as living in Finland when you are on tourist visa.

[tavastia]

When she got sick we did the surgery in Estonia. 700e vs. 2500e price quoted in Helsinki because she was just a tourist. She did not had travel insurance either because surpise is not needed if you are married with Finnish citizen. Later Kela has paid back some parts from that. Anyway maybe things have improved, this was 5 years ago...

[betelgeuse]

There was no decision because I could not even register her before having the RP. Just walk-in any Maistratti and ask to register as living in Finland when you are on tourist visa.

You need to ask them to register a family member. Family members have more rights than tourist visa holders.

[betelgeuse]

There was no decision because I could not even register her before having the RP. Just walk-in any Maistratti and ask to register as living in Finland when you are on tourist visa.

It's illegal not to give a written decision.

Jos maistraatin tekemä kotikuntaa, siellä olevaa asuinpaikkaa tai väestökirjanpitokuntaa koskeva merkintä poikkeaa asianomaisen henkilön ilmoittamasta tai jos merkintää ei ole 9 §:ssä tarkoitetun lisäselvityspyynnön jälkeenkään voitu tehdä henkilön pyynnön mukaisesti taikka jos merkintä on tehty muulta kuin muuttajalta tai hänen perheenjäseneltään saatujen tietojen perusteella, maistraatin on ilman aiheetonta viivytystä tehtävä kirjallinen päätös ja ilmoitettava asianomaiselle ratkaisustaan ja mahdollisuudesta hakea siihen oikaisua.

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/ ... 0201#L3P11

[tavastia]

She was a family member, marriage was registered in population register via Finnish embassy.