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Laying down principles for the national choice of effective services and methods
STM113:00/2023 Statute drafting
Provisions will be laid down on the principles according to which the inclusion of services, methods and and forms of work in the range of services and their removal will be implemented in public healthcare and social welfare.
The possibility of enacting provisions on a national actor who can make a binding decision on the inclusion of the method in the range of public services will be investigated.
Basic information In progress
Project number STM113:00/2023
Case numbers VN/36135/2023
Set by Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Task class Preparation of a government proposal
Project stage Consultation procedure
Term/schedule 18.12.2023 – 30.4.2027
Date of appointment
Law drafting
- 1
Under preparation
Adopted in the plan for the session period on 5.9.2025 - 2
Estimated week of presentation
Estimated new week of presentation 20/2026 - 3
Current stage: Submitted to Parliament
13.5.2026HE 90/2026 Information on parliamentary proceedings - 4
Statute adopted
Minister in chargeMinister of Social Affairs and Health Rydman
Contact person
Leini Sinervo, Erityisasiantuntija
tel. +358 295163445
[email protected]
Goals and results
The purpose of legislative work is to improve the effectiveness of the service system and to ensure the equality of clients and patients.
The regulation defines the principles according to which services, methods and forms of work are included in or excluded from the range of healthcare and social welfare services. The service choices refer to healthcare and social welfare services, methods and forms of work funded from public funds.
In health care, the range of services is applied to both public health care and private health care, for which Kela reimburses.
The purpose of the statutes is to ensure that public healthcare and social welfare services are equal throughout Finland.
The Act is intended to enter into force at the beginning of 2027.
Starting points
Studies have already been conducted on the development of the legal basis for the range of health care services.
A report published by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in 2020 States that it is necessary to specify the regulatory framework in order to ensure that the principles of belonging to the range of services are clear and that cost management is possible.
National range of health care services. Principles, structure and development opportunities of the definition (reports and memorandums of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2020:31)
Opportunities for better targeting of health care have been examined, for example, in the Government's analysis, assessment and research publication published in 2022.
Prioritisation of the range of health care services (VNTEAS 2022:53)
According to the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government, a strong and caring Finland (20.6.2023) is the time for the service reform in healthcare and social welfare. Health and social services legislation and related guidance will be reformed to correspond to the new health and social services structures and national health and social services objectives.
The project is part of the Government Programme as a whole: developing effectiveness in the service system and laying down the principles for the national choice of effective methods (item 28.89.31). National methodological evaluation and preparation of recommendations, quality and effectiveness data and peer review will be developed. Provisions will be laid down on the principles according to which the inclusion of services and methods in the range of services and their removal will be implemented in public healthcare and social welfare. The possibility of enacting provisions on a national actor that could make a binding decision on the inclusion of the methods in the public service selection will be investigated.
The text has been translated by means of a machine translation engine (Aura)
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing regulations related to the range of services in both social welfare and health care. Various actors in society have been widely consulted during the preparation process.
A six-week consultation round on the draft government proposal was organised in Finnish between 30.10 and 11.12. 2025 and 11.11.-23.12.2025 in Swedish. The statements and summary of statements can be found in the Gateway to information on Government projects. The proposal was submitted to the Government plenary session on 13.5.2026.
Preparatory working group
Person
Role, Term
Kimmel, Kaisa-Maria
Lakimies
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Preparing officer
20.5. – 8.11.2024
Kimmel, Kaisa-Maria
Lakimies
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Presenting officer
4.6.2025 – 18.4.2027
Sinervo, Leini
Erityisasiantuntija
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Project contact person
18.12.2023 – 18.4.2027
Ungrouped
Person
Role, Term
Juurikkala, Virva
erityisasiantuntija
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Preparing officer
18.12.2023 –
Pikkujämsä, Sirkku
Lääkintöneuvos
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Preparing officer
18.12.2023 –
Pöyhönen, Eveliina
Johtaja
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Person in charge
18.12.2023 – 30.4.2027
Hakanen, Ida
Hallitussihteeri
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Preparing officer
18.12.2023 – 18.4.2027
Havinmaa, Heidi
Harjoittelija
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Preparing officer
8.4. – 5.7.2024
Ruuhonen, Kirsi
Hallitusneuvos
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Role: Presenting officer
18.12.2023 – 31.12.2024
Developing and statute drafting in the Government
The ministries implement the Government Programme, draft acts and other statutes, and promote reforms through different kinds of projects, working groups and bodies. Information on all this is available on the Government website.
All ministries' projects are available on the Government website valtioneuvosto.fi/en/projects-and-legislation