Sickness
During illness and incapacity for work, you may be eligible for a number of benefits that provide compensation for costs and loss of income. Get an overview of the kind of support Kela can offer.
Daily allowances
- Sickness allowance
- The purpose of the sickness allowance is to provide compensation for the loss of income resulting from incapacity from work.
- Partial sickness allowance
- If you are capable of returning to work on a part-time basis, you can get partial sickness allowance.
- Infectious disease allowance
- The infectious disease allowance is a compensation for loss of income due to regulations and recommendations intended to prevent the spread of an infectious disease.
- Donor allowance
- Sickness allowance on account of human cell, tissue or organ donation (also known as ‘donor allowance’) can be paid to persons who experience loss of income as a consequence of donation and the necessary medical examinations associated with it.
Other benefits in the event of prolonged disability
- Rehabilitation subsidy and disability pension
- If you are ill or disabled for an extended period of time, you can apply for rehabilitation subsidy and disability pension in accordance with the provisions on national pensions and/or earnings-related pensions.
- Rehabilitation allowance
- The purpose of rehabilitation allowance is to provide economic security during rehabilitation.
- Disability allowance
- The purpose of disability allowance is to provide support for persons with a disability or chronic illness.
- Social assistance
- You can apply for social assistance if your income, assets or the other benefits you receive are not sufficient to cover your necessary everyday expenses.
Reimbursements for medical expenses
- Medicines
- Kela provides partial reimbursement for the cost of medication prescribed for an illness.
- Travel costs
- You can get reimbursement for your travel costs in connection with the treatment of an illness.
- Dental care
- Kela provides partial reimbursement for private-sector dental care.
- Doctors’ fees
- Kela provides partial reimbursement for private doctor's fees if you are treated for an illness.
- Examination and treatment
- You can get reimbursement for the cost of examinations and treatments ordered by a doctor in private practice.
- International situations
- You may be entitled to medical treatment abroad, and a person coming from abroad may have the right to medical treatment in Finland.
