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4.7.2025 | Starting from 1 September 2025, persons aged 65 and over can book a private healthcare appointment and pay only a deductible that is equal to the client fee charged for public healthcare services. The pilot is based on developing the reimbursements paid by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). The President of the Republic approved the legislative amendments enabling the pilot on 4 July 2025.

Frequently asked questions Why the family leave reform is needed? Currently, parents take family leave unevenly. This is especially detrimental to the position of women in the job market and their income, which has both short- and long-term effect...

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

31.10.2025 | Healthcare and social welfare 2040 vision Views and proposals of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health officials regarding needs for changes to the healthcare and social welfare service system Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi In “Healthcare an...

21.12.2016 | On 21 December, the Government published a draft of the legislation detailing how customers will be able to select from among the health and social services that are within the scope of freedom of choice. The legislation aims to ensure that freedom of choice will increase the customer's possibilities of exerting influence, speed up access to services as well as improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of services.

22.12.2016 | On 21 December, the Government published a bill concerning the customer's freedom of choice with regard to social and health services, as well as the changes made to the Government's draft proposal on the health, social services and regional government reform after it has been circulated for comments. The legislative package concerning provision of health and social services will go to Parliament...

9.4.2026 | 1 ADI-ROM(2025)26 Restricted Strasbourg, 9 March 2026 COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA AND TRAVELLER1 ISSUES (ADI-ROM) 13th meeting Strasbourg, 1-2 April 2026 Explanatory Memorandum Recommendation to the member States on desegregation and inclusion po...

17.9.2021 | Press conference on family leave reform, 17 September 2021 Minister Hanna Sarkkinen Minister Tuula Haatainen Family leave reform 1 | #perhevapaauudistus #familyleavereform • Significant investment in families with children • More flexibility and f...

17.9.2021 | Press conference on family leave reform, 17 September 2021 Minister Hanna Sarkkinen Minister Tuula Haatainen Family leave reform 1 | #perhevapaauudistus #familyleavereform • Significant investment in families with children • More flexibility and f...

15.2.2021 | Press conference on family leave reform, 16 February 2021 Minister Aino-Kaisa Pekonen Family leave reform 15.2.20211 | • Same amount of leave per each child, irrespective of the type of the family • Non-discrimination and equality would increase •...

20.12.2018 | Sakari Hänninen The Relational Nordic Welfare State Seeking and seizing – the Nordic Way? 2 – 3 November 2017 The Nordic welfare states have been a success story Available welfare indicators reflect this story, e.g. about Finland Finland is the be...

16.12.2016 | Finland has a good health and social services system but it can and should be enhanced and developed. Municipalities are too small and scattered to organise equal health and social services cost-effectively. Compiling the organisational responsibility to counties in the health and social services reform is a good solution. The integration of health and social services enhances cost-management, customer-orientedness and quality.

20.12.2018 | * * RELATIONAL NORDIC WELFARE STATE - CHALLENGES Meri Koivusalo Esityksen nimi / Tekijä Esityksen nimi / Tekijä THE CHALLENGE OF SUCCESS ? Nordic welfare states as services based welfare states vulnerable to commercialisation of publicly funded se...

19.12.2018 | The Nordic region is doing well Open and Innovative Nordic Countries – Equal Opportunities to Welfare, Education, Culture and Work (“Norden 2020”) The priority project (2016 – 2018) of the Finnish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2016...

10.12.2018 | Nordic Future of Work Conference The Future of Work and new Forms of Work from the Global and the Nordic Perspectives Helsinki 1 Nordic Future of Work Conference I The Future of Work and new Forms of Work from the Global and the Nordic Perspective...

19.12.2018 | Nordic Future of Work Conference The Future of Work and new Forms of Work from the Global and the Nordic Perspectives Helsinki 1 Nordic Future of Work Conference I The Future of Work and new Forms of Work from the Global and the Nordic Perspective...

19.12.2018 | #norden2020 In connection with the Finnish Presidency 2016 of the Nordic Council of Ministers, separate Nordic project funds were granted in order to raise themes that Finland wanted to highlight in the frame of Nordic co-operation. One of these p...

19.12.2018 | Report from the side-event YOUNG NORDIC VOICES: how do I shape my future? Side-event during the session of the Nordic Council 30 October 2017, Helsinki Part of the Finnish priority project “Norden 2020” OCT OBE R 30#N O R D E N 20 20 INTRODUCTION ...