Reduction in client fees
Section 11 of the Act on Client Charges in Healthcare and Social Welfare states that a fee must be reduced or waived entirely if collecting the fee would endanger the means of support of the client or the client’s family or the fulfilment of a statutory maintenance liability. This applies to both social welfare service fees and to income-related health care fees.
If there are difficulties paying a fee, Soite has a form, which can be used to apply for a reduction or waiver of fees:
(The form for applying for a reduction in fees is available in Finnish and in Swedish. The Finnish-language form is called “Asiakasmaksujen alentaminen tai perimättä jättäminen”.)
You can apply for a reduction in client fees for social welfare services and income-related healthcare services. A reduction cannot be applied for fixed health care fees (i.e. fees that are the same for all regardless of income).
A fee imposed for social welfare services and a fee imposed for health care services according to the ability to pay (long-term institutional care) will not be collected, or may be reduced, if collecting the fee would endanger the means of support of the client or the client’s family or the fulfilment of a statutory maintenance liability (Act on Client Charges, section 11).
The assessment of the need for a reduction is based on a calculation of the financial situation. Any reduction granted applies from the beginning of the month of application.
Soite has the right to collect client fees retroactively if a decision to reduce a client fee has been based on incorrect information provided by the client.
If needed, you can ask the official who made the decision about the fee about the possibility of a fee reduction.