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Emoji for the maternity package captures many emotions

In May, the maternity package will get its own emoji character. The launch of the maternity package can be watched live on Periscope. With a new colouring page, everyone can envision their own favourite maternity package.In collaboration with the Finnish MInistry of Foreign Affairs and Hasan & Partners, Kela has designed an emoji icon for the maternity package. The emoji portrays a baby sleeping snugly in its first bed, which is made out of a cardboard box. This distinctively Finnish phenomenon has delighted and fascinated people also outside Finland.  “The arrival of the maternity

Updated maternity package keeps up with trends, meets families' changing needs

The new version of the maternity package was designed with customer feedback in mind. New additions to this year's version are a cuddly toy and an overall that has received many appreciative comments.The contents of the maternity package are selected yearly by competitive tender. When selecting items, the selection board pays careful attention to the wishes that families have. Nearly 80 years after it was introduced, the maternity package continues to evolve and respond to families' needs and wishes. The new version includes a total of 56 items. As requested by clients, this year's

Hoitopaikanvalinta.fi now available also in Swedish and English

The www.hoitopaikanvalinta.fi online service can now be accessed in Swedish and English at www.vardenhetsval.fi and www.choosehealthcare.fi respectively.Hoitopaikanvalinta.fi is an online resource of information on the rights of patients to choose their place of treatment. It offers information to patients about their rights and options when seeking healthcare in Finland and abroad and talks about costs, user fees and reimbursements that may be available. The site is produced by the Contact Point for Cross-Border Healthcare in cooperation with the National Institute for Health and Welfare,

New video with information for persons who have been granted asylum

The video is spoken in English and you can choose subtitles in Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish (Sorani) and Somali from the video settings.Kela has published a video intended for persons who have been granted asylum with information on how their cases are processed at Kela after they have been granted a residence permit. According to Olga Tarsalainen, who is responsible for communications in international affairs at Kela, "for us here at Kela it is important to provide information about social security matters that is clear and understandable and to take into account the different backgrounds of our

Kela, Finnish Tax Administration and the Finnish Centre for Pensions intensify cooperation

Between 30 November and 4 December, the In To Finland service point will offer customers advice on earnings-related pensions and on how to obtain coverage under the pension schemes for employees. A specialist from the Finnish Centre for Pensions will be on site throughout the period.Located in Kamppi, Helsinki, In To Finland is a service point operated jointly by Kela and the Finnish Tax Administration which offers advice on issues related to social security and taxation to those moving to Finland for purposes for employment.  Among other things, In To Finland customers can file

Providing lodging for asylum seekers does not affect the general housing allowance

The general housing allowance is not affected if someone provides temporary lodging in one's home for an asylum seeker who is registered at a reception centre.If a household in receipt of general housing allowance wishes to take in an asylum seeker who is registered at a reception centre, this does not affect the housing allowance being paid to the household. The reason for this is that the asylum seeker is considered as living in the home only temporarily. The situation is different, however, if the asylum seeker who needs lodging is a family member of the recipient of housing allowance,

Multilingual customer service via video conferencing

Starting in March, Kela will begin to offer customer service in English, Russian, Sami and Kurdish as a remote service. Customer assistance in the four languages will be available through a video connection for 4-6 hours per week depending on the language.The target group for the English-language service includes Kela's international customers and native English speakers. As needed, Kela will arrange for interpreter services in the client's native language to ensure efficient service. Customer service in Russian was trialled last spring. Encouraged by the positive response from customers,

New maternity package features a fresh design and comes with a selection of new items

This year's version of the maternity package has a new design. While the product selection is largely the same as in previous years, there are some items that are all new. The fabric colours and patterns are new as well.Distribution of the new maternity package will begin later this spring once existing stocks have run out. There are 54 items in the box. The exact date of the switchover depends on the number of applications received for the maternity grant. The box has a new look The maternity box can also be used as a bed for the baby. This year’s box is designed by Reeta Ek, a

Tradition meets design in the new maternity package

The new maternity package follows tradition: there are numerous products and the colours are neutral. Now, for the first time, design is part of the package.The new maternity package, which will be distributed starting this autumn, is now for the first time packed in a design box. The Sukupuu (family tree) box was designed by Johanna Öst Häggblom. Öst Häggblom's work was selected through a design competition arranged by Kela a year ago for students at Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture. The baby clothes selected for the maternity package reflect the colour

First-ever exhibition exploring the history of the maternity package

The unique history of the Finnish maternity package from the 1930s to the present is featured at the Hooray for a good start! exhibition organised from 29 June to 2 September 2012 at Virka Gallery in HelsinkiUnder the maternity grant programme, all Finnish parents are given the choice between a cash grant and a box of childcare items, known as the maternity package. Nearly all first-time parents opt for the maternity package, which is delivered to more than 40,000 families each year. The colourful history of the maternity package is now showcased at the Hooray for a good start! exhibition.

New maternity package continues eco-friendly theme

As a new environmentally friendly feature, the 2010 maternity package comes with reusable nursing pads. Like last year version, the maternity package again includes reusable rather than disposable nappies. Some of the textiles have been made with organic or recycled materials.Distribution of the new package will begin in mid-May once stocks of the 2009 package run out. The new maternity package is again a little more eco-friendly than its predecessor. This year’s new addition are reusable nursing pads. They are made from microfibre that is breathable, feels soft to the skin, and can be

Generic substitution generated nearly EUR40 million of savings

Generic substitution generated nearly €40 million of savings in Finland in six months Generic substitution and drug price reductions, brought on by price competition, generated €39.8 million of savings in Finland in the first six months of the new procedure. The patients' share of the savings was €17.5 million and €22.2 million was saved in drug reimbursement payments. The amount saved approximated to 5% of the total cost of all reimbursed medicines. Generic substitution was introduced in Finland on 1 April 2003. According to the new practice the prescribed medicinal product is substituted

Drug reimbursement systems in EU member states, Iceland and Norway

Drug reimbursement systems in EU member states, Iceland and Norway Drug therapies are rapidly changing and developing. New therapies are generally more expensive than already established ones. This means a constant need to allocate increasing resources to maintaining and developing the social insurance systems used in reimbursing the costs of drugs. Kela, The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, has published a new report, which describes the drug reimbursement systems of the EU member states, Iceland and Norway as they were at the turn of the year 2001/2002. The whole report is now

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