Next year, health centre visits will cost about 28 euros and hospital outpatient fees will increase by approximately 20 euros, bringing them to nearly 70 euros.
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Image: Henrietta Hassinen / Yle
The cost of visiting a doctor could rise by about five euros at healthcare centres around the country from the beginning of next year.
Recently, the government announced plans to increase the maximum customer fees for social and healthcare services in its draft budget proposal, enabling welfare regions to charge patients more.
Depending on the region, visits to a health centre next year may see an increase of five euros, raising the fee to about 28 euros. The hospital outpatient fee will increase by approximately 20 euros, bringing it to nearly 70 euros.
Yle asked eight welfare areas about their plans for fee increases, and of the responses received, six indicated that fee hikes are likely. Two regions said they have yet to discuss the issue.
Increase almost certain in Uusimaa, Central Finland, Kanta-Häme
Several welfare areas, including South Karelia, Päijät-Häme, Kanta-Häme, Central Finland, and Uusimaa, are expected to implement the increase in maximum chargeable fees at this stage.
In South Karelia and Päijät-Häme, decisions have already been made to charge the highest-allowable amounts for customer fees and the changes may come into effect as early as the beginning of the year.
According to Sally Leskinen, director of the South Karelia welfare region, price hikes are prompted by the region’s economic situation. She said the change was not positive from an equality standpoint, acknowledging the development may encourage people on limited incomes to forgo doctor visits even if they require care.
Olli Naukkarinen, director of the Kanta-Häme wellbeing county, said that user fees will eventually be discussed by the county council, but also made clear his opinion about the matter.
“My proposal will very likely be to raise the fees to the statutory maximum. This is due to the economic situation, and there are very few alternatives,” Naukkarinen said.
Jan Tollet, director of the Central Finland wellbeing county, also said that he will propose raising customer fees to the maximum amount.
The Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) joint municipal authority, responsible for healthcare in the Uusimaa region, has factored the fee increase into next year’s budget by reducing it by 18 million euros.
“We have already taken that amount out of our revenue stream, so we probably don’t have many options other than to propose raising user fees,” said Jari Finnilä, HUS’ financial director.
Difficult decisions
Municipality officials acknowledge that the rise in customer fees will cover government cuts made to welfare areas.
Santeri Seppälä, director of the South Savo wellbeing county, said that the government’s cuts will likely be compensated by raising customer fees in South Savo.
Harri Hagman, director of the Kymenlaakso wellbeing county, said the regional council will decide on fee increases later. He estimated that implementing the government’s maximum increase could generate an additional five million euros in annual healthcare fees, noting that this would mainly offset a five-million-euro cut made to the region’s budget.
“This is money that has now been shifted from state funding to be paid by residents using the services.”
Harri Lehtonen, chair of the Satakunta county council, said that raising fees to their maximum is not an automatic decision.
According to Lehtonen, in addition to economic factors, it is important to consider whether everyone will be able to afford access to healthcare services as a result of the changes.
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Publish date : 2024-10-07 05:40:00
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