Finland Health Insurance

The Republic of Finland is bordered by Sweden, Norway and Russia and is considered a Nordic country, although the Finnish language is unrelated to Scandinavian and Slavic languages. Finland is consistently named among the best education systems in Europe and its school systems are studied by educators around the globe. Finland has been a European Union member since 1995 and is part of the Eurozone group of countries. Lying partly within the Arctic Circle, Finland’s winters are freezing cold, however summers can be warm and humid. Although the Finnish economy was long agrarian-based and made a late transition to industrialization in the 1950s, today’s economy is dominated by the services sector and several Finnish companies are found among Fortune’s Global 500.

As a wealthy developed nation, Finland’s social indicators are very high. Its education system is second to none, and its health indicators are also very strong. Life expectancy is 77 years for males and 83 years for females. Its health care spending is actually fairly low by continental norms, USD 3,357 annually per capita, although its efficient health care system delivers quality care in an equitable manner across socioeconomic groups. Government expenditure makes up about 70 percent of total health care spending in Finland. Most private health care is paid for out-of-pocket; only 8.8 percent of total private health care spending comes from private local Finland health insurance.

Finland Health Insurance & Health Care Indicators

As with many richer nations, Finland has dramatically reduced its burden of communicable diseases. In fact communicable diseases account for only 3 percent of total years of life lost in Finland, according to the World Health Organisation. This is 8 percentage points lower than the European average. HIV infection rates are just one fourth of the European average with one case per 1,000 adults and tuberculosis affects just 12 of every 100,000 Finns. There is universal access to improved sources of drinking water and sanitation thanks to a strong focus on public health infrastructure, which has contributed to the reduction in communicable diseases.

Thanks to its strong education system, Finland’s health care workforce is more than adequately staffed with well trained professionals. There are 27.4 doctors and 155.2 nurses and midwives per 10,000 Finns. Thanks to this, Finland can provide skilled health care personnel for every birth in the country. However, non-communicable diseases associated with affluent lifestyles are becoming a major problem in Finland. Currently about one fifth of Finns are obese and more than one quarter of Finns smoke or use tobacco products. Rates of cancer, diabetes and heart disease are increasing, as well as traumatic injuries often associated with alcohol abuse. The World Health Organisation operates nine collaborating centres for carrying out medical research in Finland: eight in the capital city of Helsinki and one in Turku. Most basic health care in Finland is provided at the local municipal level, with oversight from the Ministry of Health. In Finland, private insurance is generally used by wealthy Finns to cover secondary or more advanced care in order to shorten waiting periods. Most physicians engaged in private practice also spend a significant amount of time providing care in the public system.

Finland Health Insurance for Tourists and Expatriates

Finland is a major winter sports destination, particularly for cross-country skiing. In summer, its thousands of lakes provide myriad leisure opportunities. Finland’s strong economy also attracts business travellers and expatriates from around the world. Despite its advanced medical care, travelling to Finland does contain risks. Winter sports can often lead to serious injury or trauma, particularly for tourists who are not acclimated to the weather or experienced in the sporting discipline. Cold weather health concerns such as frostbite and related issues are also a serious health problem, especially for visitors from warmer climes. Before visiting Finland, seeing a physician specialising in travel medicine is strongly suggested, and routine immunisations should be updated, including those against hepatitis B and rabies for those who expect to encounter bats or other wild mammals.

In summer months, tickborne encephalitis may be a health issue for hikers in grasslands and forested areas. Using insect repellent and tucking trousers into socks is recommended while hiking. More everyday health concerns in Finland are gastrointestinal distress and traffic accidents. While Finnish tap water is safe to drink, the bacteria may differ from those in your home country, so bottled or boiled water is recommended. Finnish traffic drives on the right; be sure to obey this and other local rules of the road. While the standard of medical care in Finland is generally of low cost and high quality, in a medical emergency, required surgical procedure or terminal illness, patients may wish to be treated in their home country, which will be costly and not covered under Finland health insurance schemes. Hence, an international health insurance plan is strongly recommended when travelling or relocated to Finland.

Finland Health Insurance and International Health Care Plans

There are countless international health care plans on the market today, so choosing the best one for yourself, your family, your colleagues or your tour group can be a confusing and difficult experience. Fortunately, the experienced team at Expat Medical Insurance is available to help you make an informed decision in selecting your health care plan. The range of coverage on offer includes everything from alternative, dental, maternal to air medical evacuation. Our representatives are available 24 hours per day to patiently describe the merits of any plan under consideration. Please contact an Expat Medical Insurance representative today.