The national health insurance system is based on a number of general rules which are applicable unless specific legislation or international agreements provide otherwise. In accordance with the general rules, persons working in Poland on the basis of an employment contract, regardless of their nationality, are subject to compulsory health insurance. All resulting insurance payments are made for them by their employer. The rate of the health insurance contribution paid by the employer is a certain percentage of the income earned by the employee.

In principle, members of the employee’s family are entitled to free medical services provided that they are registered to be covered by the employee’s health insurance. Health insurance is also compulsory for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including doctoral students; contributions are paid for them by the institution where they are enrolled in (a higher education institution or an organisational unit of a research institution providing doctoral programmes). Non-nationals who reside in Poland, but do not fall within any of these categories and thus are not statutorily covered by the national health insurance, may be insured on a voluntary basis. To be covered by such insurance, they are required to submit an application to the National Health Fund and subsequently pay their contributions in accordance with the relevant legislation.

Polish state health care system

The Polish state health care system is based on a general health insurance. There are two categories of individuals entitled to free health care services on the territory of Poland (beneficiaries):

Beneficiaries are entitled to free health care services if they receive these services at health care providers who have concluded contracts on providing health services with the National Health Fund (NFZ). Health care providers are mainly: doctors who practise within the health care system (doctors, dentists), public and non-public health units (hospitals, first aid stations, dispensaries, health centres), out-patient clinics (individual, individual specialist, group).

Proof of health insurance coverage

In order to use free medical services, each time patients are required to produce a relevant document. An electronic health insurance card, like those available in many other EU countries, will be used as a proof of health insurance coverage in the future. By the time it is introduced in Poland, the document confirming the payment of health insurance contributions is a valid insurance registration card (legitymacja ubezpieczeniowa) for employees or a valid student identity card for students.

Arrangements for non-nationals

EEA nationals covered by health insurance who stay in Poland temporarily are entitled to free medical services on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or an equivalent certificate. If you do not hold such a document, you will be required to pay for the services provided. Arrangements for nationals of third countries are laid down in relevant bilateral inter-government agreements.

Medical services

The health insurance system in Poland is based on the principles of equal treatment and equal access to healthcare services. Healthcare services financed by public funds are available to persons covered by national health insurance on a compulsory or voluntary basis. This means that the insured who pay their contributions by a fixed date each month have free access to medical services listed in the relevant legislation. The main institution responsible for the management of public funds for health care, and the pillar of the entire health insurance system, is the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, NFZ). The national health policy is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.

Institutions providing medical services

Free medical services are provided to the insured only in healthcare institutions, both public and private, which have concluded a contract with the National Health Fund. Such institutions are normally marked with the logo of the Fund. Detailed information about the contracted institutions may be obtained from the voivodship office of the National Health Fund. You should know that Poland has an extensive network of private healthcare centres, including hospitals, and medical doctors represnting a wide variety of specialisations.

Specialist medical services

In Poland a medical doctor providing primary health care (general practitioner) is commonly called “a first-contact doctor” (lekarz pierwszego kontaktu) in Poland. This is because you need to obtain a referral from your general practitioner in order to have access to more specialised medical services, e.g. hospital treatment, medical rehabilitation or treatment in a spa resort. Such a referral is not required in the event of emergency or for services provided by some specialist medical doctors, including an ophthalmologist, oncologist, dermatologist, gynaecologist or psychiatrist.

Dental services (dentysta)

Pharmacies (apteka)

Medicines are available only in pharmacies. Some medicines can be obtained only on the basis of a prescription (recepta) given by an authorised medical doctor; please remember that most prescriptions are valid only for 14 days. The rates charged for medicines vary as some of them are reimbursed from public funds. In the case of reimbursed medicines, patients pay a flat-rate amount or only a specific portion of the price. Some pharmacies are open 24 hours, but can make an additional charge for selling medicines during the night.

Emergency

The National Medical Rescue System has been established in order to provide aid in the event of emergency – when any delay might result in health damage or loss of life. Insured persons have access to medical rescue services guaranteed by the relevant legislation. In order to call for an ambulance, you should dial the ambulance service number 999, accessible throughout the country, or the emergency number 112.

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