Cancer patients concerned over treatment as dispute over drug reimbursement shifts costs

Cancer patients, particularly those with blood cancers, are worried after the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) stopped reimbursing certain expensive medications at the start of July. The costs have now shifted to the wellbeing services counties (hyvinvointialueet).

Kela ended reimbursement for several high-cost drugs, including cancer treatments, which are administered within the public healthcare system. The responsibility for covering these expenses has transferred to the wellbeing services counties.

In Häme, Veli-Pekka Rautava, chief medical officer for the wellbeing services county, said patients have no cause for concern despite media coverage of the dispute.

“Patients need not worry. Treatment remains unchanged, and the shift in reimbursement rights does not negatively affect the selection of medication,” Rautava said.

In North Ostrobothnia, Marianne Riekki, deputy chief medical officer, reported receiving daily inquiries from patients concerned about continued treatment and future drug availability. Most calls have come from patients with multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting plasma cells in the blood and bone marrow.

Susanna Wilén, director of operations for North Karelia wellbeing services county, said the county has also received worried messages via social media. She emphasized that existing B-statements ensure treatment continuity in line with Kela’s guidelines.

Wellbeing services counties stressed that patients will continue to receive medically justified care tailored to their needs. No significant number of inquiries have been reported in Kainuu or at Kuopio University Hospital.

Ilmo Keskimäki, emeritus research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), said the situation should not impact patients requiring these medications.

“If it does, the healthcare system is failing to meet its mandated goals,” Keskimäki said. He described the dispute between Kela and the wellbeing services counties as a funding conflict, with counties attempting to shift costs to sickness insurance.

Keskimäki argued that public healthcare should cover these drugs, noting that the financial burden is not so large that wellbeing services counties cannot afford it. He estimated the annual cost to counties would be well under €100 million, partly due to hospital discounts from pharmaceutical companies.