Kela’s Reimbursement Policy Shift Sparks Debate Over Legal Compliance, Patient Safety, and Healthcare Equality – Coalition Party Ministers Propose Centralization as Opposition and Government Trade Blame, While Patients Express Confusion and Fear

From the beginning of July, Kela has discontinued the reimbursement of certain high-cost medications, including cancer treatments, when administered in public healthcare. The change shifts an estimated €100 million in medication costs to wellbeing services counties, which are already facing financial strain. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the policy may leave some patients, particularly those with cancer, without access to the latest treatments if counties cannot afford them. Several patients, including Espoo resident Merina Korkiakoski, a 57-year-old with stage four glioblastoma, have expressed confusion and concern over whether the policy affects their medications. Korkiakoski told Ilta-Sanomat that no one has explained how the policy will work in practice, adding, “Now, awareness should be raised about how to proceed in the future.” She also fears that rising outpatient clinic fees—already increased from €46 in 2024 to over €71—could make treatment unaffordable if wellbeing services counties raise fees further to cover drug costs (Ilta-Sanomat).