Reimbursements for medicine costs
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You can get reimbursement for the costs of medicines, clinical nutrition products and emollient creams that have been prescribed for the treatment of an illness. On this website, the word medicine is used to refer to all these products.
The Medicinal Products Database contains up-to-date information about all medicines, reimbursable emollient creams and clinical nutrition products sold in Finland.
Read more about the Medicinal Products Database.
The initial deductible is EUR 70.33 per year
You can get reimbursement for medicine costs once you have reached the initial deductible, which is EUR 70. 33. You pay the full price for your medicines until you have reached the initial deductible. The initial deductible is calculated per calendar year: this means that you must pay the full price for your medicines at the start of every year until you reach the initial deductible.
The initial deductible does not apply to children. The initial deductible is applied from the beginning of the year in which a young person reaches the age of 19.
Read more about the initial deductible.
There are three reimbursement categories
The amount of reimbursement depends on the medicine you are buying and whether Kela has granted you a right to reimbursement.
There are three reimbursement categories:
- The basic rate of reimbursement is 40% of a medicine’s sales price or reference price.
- The lower special rate of reimbursement is 65% of a medicine’s sales price or reference price.
- The higher special rate of reimbursement is 100% of a medicine’s sales price or reference price.
- However, you pay a copayment of EUR 4.50 each time you buy a medicine at this reimbursement rate.
Read more about the special rates of reimbursement and the other rights to reimbursement.
The annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs
The annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs refers to the maximum amount that you have to pay for your medicines in one calendar year (1 January to 31 December). However, this annual maximum includes only medicines that are covered by the reimbursement system, in other words, medicines that Kela pays reimbursement for. The initial deductible also counts towards the annual out-of-pocket maximum. In 2026, the annual out-of-pocket maximum is EUR 636.12.
Once you have reached this limit, you can get an additional reimbursement. This means that you only have to pay a copayment of EUR 2.50 for each prescription medicine you buy during the rest of the year.
Read more about the annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs.
Track your progress towards the annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs
Direct reimbursement at the pharmacy
Reimbursement for your prescription medicines is usually provided to you directly at the pharmacy. Pharmacies have up-to-date information about how much you have paid towards the initial deductible and the annual maximum limit.
Read more about direct reimbursement.
The roles of healthcare professionals and authorities
Doctors and dentists can prescribe medicines. Some nurses also have limited prescription rights. Medical and dental students, too, can prescribe medicines, but only to the patients they are treating.
The right to practise as a health care professional is granted by the Finnish Supervisory Agency. The Finnish Supervisory Agency maintains a nationwide central register of health care professionals. Members of the public can check the qualifications of specific health care professionals in the public information service for the registers of social welfare and health care professionals (julkiterhikki.lvv.fi). The Finnish Supervisory Agency also supervises the professional activity of health care professionals with prescribing rights.
Based on an agreement between Kela and pharmacies, reimbursements for medicine costs are provided to customers directly at the pharmacy. This makes it as straightforward as possible for the customers to obtain the medication they need. At the time of purchase, pharmacies check with Kela to confirm the customer's right to reimbursement. Information about the purchase of a medicine and the reimbursement is transmitted directly from the pharmacy to Kela. Kela oversees the direct reimbursement procedure and provides guidance.
The Pharmaceuticals Pricing Board (Hila) operates in affiliation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. It is tasked with issuing decisions on the reimbursement status of pharmaceutical products. Hila may restrict reimbursement status to certain indications, for example a severity of illness, or to certain groups of patients. Kela can only provide reimbursement for a medication if it is used in accordance with Hila’s decision.
Current topics
Medicine cost credit helps with high prescription medicine costs
Starting from the end of October 2025, low-income customers will have the opportunity to get a loan from Kela in the form of a credit for medicine costs to pay the annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs. In 2025, the annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs is €633.17, and in 2026 it is €636.12.