Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by sampo 1686 days ago
> because of how Finnish law works for small business owners, means they get cut off from any public health insurance

This is not true. Finnish public health insurance is residency based: Every resident has it [1]. What you are probably thinking of, is the extra occupational private health insurance, that most Finnish employers provide for their employees (so that during work days, the employees don't need to wait in line in the public health services, but can get back to work sooner after seeing a private doctor).

[1] https://www.kela.fi/ulkomailta-suomeen-sairaanhoito-suomessa
2 comments
jarcane 1686 days ago
My father-in-law was a Finn, born and raised, and had to pay for everything out of pocket because he owned his own home business fabricating HVAC ductwork, and of course got no sick leave if he did get injured and couldn't work.

It's possible to buy private insurance of course, a common solution for tech freelancers here is to make your own business and then hire yourself as an employee, so at least you can get an occupational health care plan.

But private health insurance here is a joke anyway, they don't cover a ton of things because they assume they can just refer you to the public care for any of the complicated stuff. Mine wouldn't even cover a CPAP machine, I had to get on a public waiting list and borrow one from the state, and it took months.

link
kakoni 1686 days ago
I believe most of the couriers have ”residence permit for an entrepreneur”. That means you get emergency care but thats about it. As your link states ” Jos olet tullut Suomeen tilapäisesti muualta kuin EU- tai Eta-maasta, Sveitsistä, Isosta-Britanniasta tai Pohjois-Irlannista, sinulla on oikeus vain kiireelliseen sairaanhoitoon. Hoidon kustannukset voidaan laskuttaa sinulta jälkikäteen. ”
link
sampo 1686 days ago
> I believe most of the couriers have ”residence permit for an entrepreneur”. That means you get emergency care but thats about it.

This is not true, for Finland. Residence permit for an entrepreneur [1] is still a residence permit. You get residency, home municipality, and everything that goes with it.

[1] https://migri.fi/en/entrepreneur

link
kakoni 1686 days ago
Aah, so it seems. I stand corrected.
link