Finland will implement a regional reform, which will radically change responsibilities for organizing and funding health care services

Finnish government is working on regional reform, which will be implemented from 2019-2020. In relation to health care system, the reform will introduce 18 countries, which will take over the organization and funding for health care from more than 200 municipalities and their collaborations.

This will mean that market access for medical device will be simplified, as number of stakeholders to engage with will be radically reduced to a manageable figure. 

The site of the reform specifies the following anticipated changes in relation to health care services:

• Responsibility for providing public healthcare and social services will be assigned to autonomous regions that are larger than municipalities. Healthcare and social services will be brought together at all levels to form customer-oriented entities, and basic public services will be strengthened.
• The existing multisource financing will be simplified and customers will have more freedom of choice in the services.
• The objective is to reduce inequities in wellbeing and health between people, and to manage costs.
• The reform will help to bridge a large part of the sustainability gap in general government finances. The Government's aim is to save EUR 10 billion, of which approximately EUR 3 billion should be covered through the reforms in the branch of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
• Besides structural reforms, the steering and operating models in healthcare and social welfare will be thoroughly modernised. The aim is to achieve better services that are not only more customer-oriented, effective and cost-efficient than before but also better coordinated.

The reform package on health, social services and regional government is being led by Juha Rehula, Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services. The policy approaches will be discussed in the Ministerial working group on reforms. The project includes a parliamentary monitoring group.

Find more information on the reform here.

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