Finland's Kela shifts costly drug reimbursements to regional health authorities

The Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) announced in July that it will stop reimbursing a range of high‑cost medicines, including several cancer drugs and new migraine treatments, when they are administered in public health care. The expense for these medicines, estimated at around €100 million, will be transferred to the country's 21 welfare (wellbeing) regions.

Critics, such as HUS Cancer Centre director Johanna Mattson and national cancer organisations, warn that the change could create unequal access to treatment across regions, potentially leaving some patients without the newest therapies. Kela’s chief medical officer Mikko Florén defended the move, saying it complies with existing health‑care legislation and clarifies reimbursement practices.

The rapid implementation, coming mid‑budget year, surprised the regions and added financial pressure to already strained budgets. Negotiations between Kela and the regions are expected to continue after the summer holidays to address the impact on patients and regional funding.