Julkishinnat

Julkishinnat is a Finnish term referring to prices that are set or approved by public authorities for certain goods and services. The most common use of the term is in the pricing of medicines, where julkishinnat function as the official consumer prices that are used as the basis for reimbursements and patient copayments.

In the Finnish pharmaceutical system, the public price is published in price lists and applied uniformly in pharmacies. Reimbursements from the Social Insurance Institution (Kela) are calculated from these official prices, and the amount a patient pays depends on the reimbursement category and any applicable discounts or coupons. Price changes are typically announced by the authorities and take effect across pharmacies after a specified date, ensuring price transparency and consistency.

The concept of julkishinnat also appears in other public pricing contexts, including health-related devices and services, and more broadly in public administration to support budgeting and procurement. By maintaining publicly available price levels, julkishinnat aim to promote predictable costs, reduce price dispersion, and uphold social welfare objectives.

In practice, julkishinnat help standardize pricing across sellers, inform reimbursement rules, and provide a reference point for both consumers and healthcare providers. While most commonly associated with medicines, the framework can apply to other goods and services regulated or subsidized by public authorities. See also price regulation, reimbursement systems, and public procurement.