Draft bill for the Freedom of Choice Act completed

A new draft bill for the Freedom of Choice Act has been completed. The provisions of the draft bill in Finnish were published on the website of the regional government, health and social services reform on 19 October. The draft bill will be sent out for comment at the turn of October and November.

A Government proposal for the Freedom of Choice Act is to be submitted to Parliament in February-March 2018. The Act is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2020 when the new counties take over the organisation of health and social services.  

According to the draft bill, client’s opportunities to choose their health and social services would be extended in stages during 2020-2022. Clients could, more widely than today, choose a public or private service provider.

The draft bill includes the changes that the Constitutional Law Committee of Parliament required in the spring as well as the guidelines and explanatory notes of the Government’s ministerial working group on reforms.

A draft bill and other documents are available in Finnish here.

A presentation of a draft bill in English

Inquiries:

Kirsi Varhila, Director-General, tel. + 358 295 163338
Pekka Järvinen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. + 358 295 163367
Pirjo Kainulainen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. + 358 295 163092
Maria Porko, Lawyer, tel. + 358 295 163417