Maximum amount of client fees

As regards the fees charged to a patient during one calendar year, an annual maximum amount of client fees has been prescribed by law.

For the meantime the maximum amount of client fees is 636 euros. This way, regarding the fees falling within the system of a maximum amount payable, the patient does not have to pay more than 636 euros during one calendar year.

After exceeding the maximum amount payable, the services falling within the system of a maximum amount payable are free of charge until the end of the calendar year concerned.
However, there is an exception: the patients in short-term inpatient care are not completely exempted from fees but the bed-day fee is decreased from 32,60 euros to 15,10 euros. This lowered fee of 15,10 euros is not included in the patient’s expenses falling within the system of a maximum amount payable.

The system of maximum amount payable comprises the following fees charged by the public health services:

• visit to the hospital’s outpatient department
• day case surgery
• treatment given in series
• short-term inpatient care
• visit to a health centre physician
• physiotherapy
• night- and day-time care at a hospital or at a social welfare institution
• inpatient care given to a disabled person as medical rehabilitation

The following, for example, do not fall within the system of maximum amount payable:
fees for certificates, dental treatment, home services, home nursing, occupational health care services or long-term inpatient care. The system does not even include medicine costs or fees for private health care services.

During the first visit of a calendar year the patient is given a client fee card, where the fees paid for services falling within the system of maximum amount payable are recorded. The patients must themselves control their fees and the sum of the paid fees.

A patient may receive a "free card" entitling him or her to free-of-charge services. He or she must apply for the free card by presenting the client fee card and the original receipts on the payment of the services other than those provided by the City of Tampere.
You may present the receipts at any service point of the Department of Social Services and Health Care. Free card is sent to the client by the Asiakasmaksuyksikkö (The Client Fee Unit).

As regards families with minors, the minors’ client fees are included when counting the maximum amount payable of one of the supporters of the family.