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Health care in Poland
Health care in Poland is insurance-based and provided through a publicly funded system known as the National Health Fund. It is free for all Polish citizens who fall under the "insured" category, which typically includes individuals with employer-paid health insurance or those who are the spouse or child of an insured person.
According to Article 68 of the Polish Constitution everyone has a right to have access to health care. Citizens are granted equal access to the publicly-funded healthcare system. In particular, the government is obliged to provide free health care to young children, pregnant women, disabled people, and the elderly. However, private health care use is very extensive in Poland. Patients who are uninsured have to pay the full cost of medical services.
According to a 2016 study by CBOS, among the 84% of patients who participated in the survey, 40% reported using both private and public health services, 37% relied solely on public health care, and 7% used only private services. Additionally, 77% of all respondents indicated that long wait times for public health care were the main reason for turning to private care.
The main financing source is health insurance in the National Health Fund. Citizens are obligated to pay insurance fees (redistributed tax) which is 9% deducted from personal income (7,75% is deducted from the tax, 1,25% covered by insured goes directly to the National Health Fund). The national budget covers around 5% of all health care expenses. Since 2007 emergency rescue services have been financed in total from the national budget. About 70% of health expenses in Poland are covered by contributions to the National Health Fund, with the remaining 30% coming from the state budget.
The management of the public health system is divided between the Minister of Health and three levels of territorial self-government. It has been suggested that this delays response to problems.
The structure of the health system in Poland is regulated by these laws:
The services are funded by the National Health Fund.
The basis of the healthcare system is the primary care physician, who is most commonly a specialist in family health. They are responsible for conducting treatment and taking preventive actions for assigned patients. If sickness requires the intervention of a specialist, the first contact doctor issues referral to a hospital or other health care unit. Primary care surgeries are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. At other times the Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia has contracts with 24-hour medical service units. Addresses and telephone numbers of units providing 24 hour-medical service are available in primary healthcare surgeries. A referral is not needed for oncology, gynecology, psychiatry, dentistry, or sexually transmitted diseases. Not all dental treatment is covered by the health insurance scheme.
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Health care in Poland
Health care in Poland is insurance-based and provided through a publicly funded system known as the National Health Fund. It is free for all Polish citizens who fall under the "insured" category, which typically includes individuals with employer-paid health insurance or those who are the spouse or child of an insured person.
According to Article 68 of the Polish Constitution everyone has a right to have access to health care. Citizens are granted equal access to the publicly-funded healthcare system. In particular, the government is obliged to provide free health care to young children, pregnant women, disabled people, and the elderly. However, private health care use is very extensive in Poland. Patients who are uninsured have to pay the full cost of medical services.
According to a 2016 study by CBOS, among the 84% of patients who participated in the survey, 40% reported using both private and public health services, 37% relied solely on public health care, and 7% used only private services. Additionally, 77% of all respondents indicated that long wait times for public health care were the main reason for turning to private care.
The main financing source is health insurance in the National Health Fund. Citizens are obligated to pay insurance fees (redistributed tax) which is 9% deducted from personal income (7,75% is deducted from the tax, 1,25% covered by insured goes directly to the National Health Fund). The national budget covers around 5% of all health care expenses. Since 2007 emergency rescue services have been financed in total from the national budget. About 70% of health expenses in Poland are covered by contributions to the National Health Fund, with the remaining 30% coming from the state budget.
The management of the public health system is divided between the Minister of Health and three levels of territorial self-government. It has been suggested that this delays response to problems.
The structure of the health system in Poland is regulated by these laws:
The services are funded by the National Health Fund.
The basis of the healthcare system is the primary care physician, who is most commonly a specialist in family health. They are responsible for conducting treatment and taking preventive actions for assigned patients. If sickness requires the intervention of a specialist, the first contact doctor issues referral to a hospital or other health care unit. Primary care surgeries are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. At other times the Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia has contracts with 24-hour medical service units. Addresses and telephone numbers of units providing 24 hour-medical service are available in primary healthcare surgeries. A referral is not needed for oncology, gynecology, psychiatry, dentistry, or sexually transmitted diseases. Not all dental treatment is covered by the health insurance scheme.