How to apply for the right to reimbursement
By sending Kela a medical statement B or a medical statement BC that a doctor has issued for you, you can apply for the right to
- a special rate of reimbursement for a medicine
- limited basic and special reimbursement for a medicine
- reimbursement for a clinical nutrition product.
No separate application is required. Read more about the medicines you can get reimbursement for.
Find out which medical conditions give the right to a special rate of reimbursement for medicines or to reimbursement for clinical nutrition products:
- Medical conditions that entitle a person to medicine reimbursement at a special rate and the criteria for granting the right to reimbursement (in Finnish)
- Medical conditions that entitle a person to reimbursement for clinical nutritition products and the criteria for granting the right to reimbursement (in Finnish)
For some medicines, the right to reimbursement is limited only to specific uses. Read more about these medicines:
How to apply for the right to reimbursement
- Discuss with your doctor which one of you will send the medical statement to Kela.
- If you submit the statement yourself, do it as soon as possible. You can send the statement in OmaKela or send it by post to Kela, PL 10, 00056 Kela. No separate application is required. If you are a member of a workplace sickness fund, submit the certificate to your fund.
- Visit OmaKela to see if the statement has arrived at Kela and if you have been granted the right to reimbursement.
If you are granted the right to reimbursement
If you are granted the right to reimbursement, you will get a new Kela card with a printed code number showing your right to reimbursement. You can use Kela’s Medicinal Products Database to see which medical condition or medicinal products the reimbursement number refers to.
When the reimbursement number starts with
- 1, you are entitled to reimbursement at the higher special rate (100%)
- 2, you are entitled to reimbursement at the lower special rate (65%)
- 3, you are entitled to limited basic reimbursement (40%)
- 5, you are entitled to reimbursement for a clinical nutrition product (65%)
- 6, you are entitled to reimbursement for a clinical nutrition product (40%).
The right to reimbursement may be valid for a fixed-term or indefinitely. You can check the period for which your right to reimbursement is valid on the back of your Kela card, in the written decision you were sent, or in OmaKela.
We will not notify you separately when your right to reimbursement expires. If needed, you can apply for an extension to your right to reimbursement by submitting a new medical statement B or a new medical statement BC.
When Kela grants you the right to reimbursement, the starting date will usually be the date Kela received your medical statement B or your medical statement BC.
The pharmacy checks your right to reimbursement by consulting Kela electronically. If you have been granted the right to reimbursement and you have reached the initial deductible, you will get the reimbursement due to you right away at the pharmacy. You get the reimbursement even if you do not yet have a new Kela card.
As a general rule, you get reimbursement at a special rate for medicine purchases made on or after the starting date of your right to reimbursement.
However, under certain conditions, you may be able to get reimbursement at a special rate for medicines purchased before that date. In a case like that, you can get reimbursement at a special rate for a maximum of 3 months’ supply of a medicine that you purchased after you were diagnosed with the medical condition that is the basis for your right to reimbursement.
If you purchased a medicine reimbursable at a special rate before Kela granted you the right to reimbursement, you can claim a reimbursement from Kela after the fact.
Apply within 6 months of the purchase.
Kela may contact you or pay a reimbursement automatically if it finds during the processing of your medical certificate that you are entitled to reimbursement at a special rate for previously purchased medicines.
As a general rule, you get reimbursement for medicines with limited basic reimbursement for purchases made on or after the starting date of your right to reimbursement. However, under certain conditions, you may be able to get reimbursement at the basic rate for medicines purchased before that date.
If you purchased a medicine with limited basic reimbursability before being granted the right to reimbursement, you can claim a reimbursement from Kela after the fact.
Apply within 6 months of the purchase.
The general rule is that you get a reimbursement for purchases of clinical nutrition products on prescription from a pharmacy made on or after the first date of your entitlement to reimbursement.
However, under certain conditions, you may be able to get reimbursement for clinical nutrition products purchased before that date. In a case like that, you can get reimbursement for a maximum of 3 months’ supply that you purchased after you were diagnosed with the medical condition that is the basis for your right to reimbursement.
If you purchased a reimbursable clinical nutrition product on prescription from a pharmacy before Kela granted you the right to reimbursement, you can claim reimbursement from Kela after the fact.
Claim reimbursement within 6 months of the purchase.
Read more about the reimbursement of clinical nutrition products.