Maximum Payment Limit

The maximum payment limit, also referred to as the ‘payment ceiling’, is the maximum amount that can be charged annually per person for public social services and healthcare. . In 2024, the maximum payment limit will be EUR 762 per year. Monitoring the maximum payment limit to see when it is exceeded is your responsibility. Once you have reached your maximum payment limit, you can receive the services covered by the limit free of charge until the end of the year, for the most part.

The invoice sent to you will specify whether the fee in question counts towards your maximum payment limit. 

Health care fees

  • Health centre fees (not collected in Helsinki)
  • Fees for outpatient clinics
  • Day surgery fee
  • A fee for a treatment series
    • In a treatment series where the treatment is given during two calendar years, the treatment and the fees are entered according to the treatment year.
  • Individual physiotherapy fee
  • Night and day care fee (the fee does not change after the pay limit is reached)
  • Rehabilitation
  • A hospital day fee for short-term institutional care
  • A day hospital fee for psychiatry (the fee does not change after the pay limit is reached)
  • Oral and dental examination and treatment (excl. dental technical costs due to, for example, dentures, mouth guards, orthodontic appliances or sleep apnoea mouth guards)
  • Specialised health care treatment for the mouth and jaw area in primary health care
  • Physiotherapy, neuropsychological rehabilitation, nutrition therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and podiatric care provided by a health care professional
  • Temporary home nursing and temporary home hospital care
  • Rehabilitative assessment period

Social welfare fees

  • A hospital day fee for short-term institutional care
  • Night and day care fee (the fee does not change after the pay limit is reached)
  • Rehabilitation care given to a handicapped person or rehabilitation given as specialist care to a mentally handicapped person

Health care fees

  • Fees for long-term institutional care
  • Fees for a doctor’s certificate
  • Fees for ambulance transport
  • Fees for occupational health care
  • Fees for unused or uncancelled services
  • Fees chargeable for psychiatric residential rehabilitation when living in publicly subsidised accommodation
  • Fees for family care
  • Fees in a special payment class
  • Interest on arrears and collection fees

Social welfare fees

  • Fees for home care services and support services of the home care services
  • Fees for long-term institutional and family care
  • Fees for day-time activities for the elderly
  • Fees for short term service housing according to the Social Welfare Act
  • Fees for children’s daycare, family care, residential services, transport services for the severely disabled and other invoices except those mentioned in the list of the maximum payment limit
  • Interest on arrears and collection fees

Other fees not included in the maximum payment limit

  • Fees charged for services arranged during the statutory time off for a family caregiver
  • Fees for care compensated based on the Employment Accidents Insurance Act, Agricultural Entrepreneurs’ Accidents Insurance Act, Military Injuries Act, Motor Insurance Act, Patient Injuries Act or any other comparable act.

If you use private social and health services, the fees are not counted towards the payment ceiling. Also, a service voucher’s client charge does not count towards the payment ceiling.

The Social Insurance Institute of Finland (Kela)(Link leads to external service) monitors the maximum payment limit of medicinal expenses and travel expenses. Kela(Link leads to external service)

Once you have exceeded your maximum payment limit, you can apply for a certificate. The certificate allows you to receive the covered services free of charge for the rest of the year, for the most part. 

Monitoring the maximum payment limit to see when it is exceeded is your responsibility. Keep all the invoices and receipts counting towards your maximum payment limit.  

If you exceed your maximum payment limit with an invoice sent by the City of Helsinki Financial Management Services (Talpa), please contact Talpa to receive your certificate.

Financial Management Services (Talpa) contact information(Link leads to external service)

If you exceed your maximum payment limit with an invoice sent by the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), you must contact the HUS Patient Invoicing unit. 

 Patient fees (HUS)(Link leads to external service)

If you have paid too much in client fees, the amount overpaid will be refunded to you.