Falling wellbeing coefficient cuts Keusote funding by €2.2 million

Central Uusimaa’s wellbeing services county will lose more than €2.2 million in 2027 funding after its health and wellbeing promotion coefficient fell, Yle reports.

The Ministry of Finance’s updated calculations, published on Thursday, show that the county’s funding will drop from the previously estimated €898.2 million to just under €896 million. The coefficient affects how much state funding a wellbeing services county receives for its preventive health and wellbeing work.

County director Raija Kontio said the decline came as a surprise. The county’s own figures showed improvement compared with the previous year, she said. Keusote is now checking whether there were errors in how information was recorded or submitted, although Kontio said the figures were unlikely to be changed.

The county board will hold an additional meeting next week to discuss the funding cut as part of a productivity and cost-efficiency programme. Kontio said further savings may be needed. Keusote has faced a financial crisis for some time and has sought more time from the ministry to cover deficits accumulated during its early years, but has not been granted an extension.

The updated calculations also show that funding will not increase at all next year for five other wellbeing services counties: South Karelia, Kainuu, Kymenlaakso, North Savo and Satakunta. Funding will rise by 0.1 per cent in South Savo, 0.5 per cent in Pirkanmaa, 0.8 per cent in Kanta-Häme, and 0.9 per cent in West Uusimaa and Central Ostrobothnia. Meanwhile, counties face rising costs, including higher wages and growing demand for services.

The health and wellbeing promotion coefficient takes account of preventive work, such as school health checks, lifestyle counselling for people with type 2 diabetes and health checks for unemployed people. It also reflects changes in outcomes including hip fractures among older people and the number of young people outside work or education.