Sote | The government “invests” in Kela compensations, but they are not effective in treatment queues – This is how Orpo justifies the decision

Coil according to the latest statistics, a larger part of the increased Kela compensations went to high-income earners than to lower-income earners. During the beginning of the year, almost seven million euros more compensation was paid to those in the highest income fifth than last year.

The government decided to increase the Kela compensation paid for private doctor’s visits. Before the doctor’s visit was reimbursed 8 euros, now 30 euros.

High income earners have already used Kela compensation more than others in the past. Therefore, they also benefit the most from the increase in compensation. According to Kela, there are systematically more visits to private doctors per person, the higher the income.

HS reported earlier From Kela’s information, according to which the increased Kela compensations flow almost entirely to the same people who already visited private doctors. Between January and July, the number of visitors increased by only 1.3 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

According to Kela’s latest statistics, visits have not increased much either. Between January and June, there were 2 percent more visits than at the same time last year.

At the same time, the amount of tax money going to Kela compensation tripled. By the end of July, Kela had paid a total of nearly 47 million euros in compensation for private doctor’s visits between January and June. For the same period last year, Kela paid around 15 million euros in compensation. Compensations were therefore paid more than 30 million euros more.

Decision increasing Kela compensation is part of the government’s investment package. The decision is justified by the fact that the queues for treatment on the public side will be shortened, when private treatment can be accessed with a lower deductible. However, in light of Kela’s statistics, it seems that the money goes to those people who would have gone to a private company anyway.

According to Kela, based on the report it made, it cannot be shown which of the 2 percent change in the number of visits is due to the increase in Kela compensations and which is due to other issues.

“In any case, such a small change in the number of visits to private doctors probably has not significantly affected the queues in welfare areas,” says Kela’s specialist researcher Heta Moustgaard In the bulletin sent by Kela on Tuesday.

Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen justified the lifting of the allowances in an interview with HS in August, among other things, by the fact that some pensioners have a better chance to invest in their health with them. According to Kela’s new data, even pensioners had only about one additional visit per hundred people.

Many experts have also considered the withdrawal of Kela compensation to be an ineffective method. On Monday, the Medical Association demanded the government cancel the decision.

Government meets on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss next year’s budget. The government is made by the prime minister Petteri Orpon (kok) according to the most adjusting budget ever for next year.

“In other words, we are not here to distribute money, but to adjust the economy,” Orpo said on Tuesday at the press conference opening the government’s budget negotiations in the state’s banquet hall.

HS asked at the press conference about the withdrawal of Kela compensations. An additional 400 million euros will be put into Kela compensation during the entire term of office.

How can such a decision, which does not shorten treatment queues, be justified in this economic situation?

“Wouldn’t that pressure be reduced anyway from the public side when private doctor’s visits are subsidized? That is, ordinary people can use private doctor’s appointments. In addition, we return, for example, fertilization treatments to the scope of private doctor’s compensation. And there are certain medical services for which improving Kela compensation is essential,” said Orpo.

“These are things whose impact we monitor very closely. But in this queue situation, we consider it justified that Kela compensations are used. Then we’ll see how it goes.”