    
HEALTH CARE IN POLAND
 Basic
principles
Poland has the health care system based on general health insurance.
Polish
health care system
Persons covered by the general health insurance (on the compulsory or
voluntary basis) are entitled to free health services in the territory
of Poland. Rules of the general health insurance are provided in the Law
of 23 January 2003 on the General Insurance in the National Health Fund
(Official Journal 03.45.391, with later amendments).
An insured person and members of his/her family are entitled to free
health services in case they receive these services at health care providers
who have concluded contracts on providing health services with the regional
branch of the National Health Fund (NFZ).
The contract on providing health services specifies the kind and the
scope of the services contracted by the given health provider with the
National Health Fund. Health care providers who have a contract on providing
health services can be identified by a board with NFZ logo situated outside
the building in the noticeable place.
The information on the health care providers who have concluded contracts
with NFZ is available in the competent regional branch office of NFZ.
Besides, every health care provider who practises within the general
health insurance system is obliged to impart information on the other
health providers who provide services on the basis of the contracts concluded
with the regional branch of the NFZ.
Institutions
of the general health insurance system in Poland
The National Health Fund is the institution, which is responsible for
assuring health services for insured persons and members of their families.
The Fund finances health services and assures refund of medicines within
assigned financial means. The National Health Fund is composed of: 1.
Head office of NFZ 2. 16 regional branches of NFZ established in accordance
with the territorial division of the country. Public and non-public health
care providers who have concluded contracts with the competent regional
branch of the National Health Fund are obliged to provide services within
the general health insurance system. Health care providers are above all:
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).
Access
to health care in Poland during a temporary stay
During a temporary stay in Poland, a person entitled to health care under
EEA rules can receive health services in the following areas:
- primary health care,
- specialist out-patient care,
- hospital treatment,
- dental treatment,
- rescue services and ambulance transport.
In case of necessity of providing health care, a person from a member
country entitled to health care, staying temporarily in the territory
of Poland, is entitled to free health care on the basis of form E 111
issued in his country, European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and in particular
cases, also on the basis of a certificate. Holder of one of these documents
will receive free health services at health care providers who have concluded
a relevant contract with NFZ.
In case of lack of these documents patient will be obliged to cover costs
of treatment by himself. The same obligation arises in case of treatment
provided by a health care unit which has no contract with NFZ.
In each case health care providers or pharmacists require submitting a
copy of a form E 111, EHIC or a certificate.
Health care providers are obliged to provide services as soon as possible
and to make a list of persons awaiting the treatment. In case of sudden
illness, injury, intoxication, life threat or childbirth the admission
is immediate.
A person entitled to health care can receive health services directly
in the field of primary health care and dental care. In case of specialist
out-patient care a referral of the doctor who practises within the health
care system is required, and in case of hospital treatment - a referral
of any doctor. In case of emergency a person entitled under EEA rules
can directly go to a specialist, to a hospital or receive rescue services
and ambulance transport in the territory of Poland.
Primary health care
A person entitled to health care under EEA rules who presents form E111
issued by the competent institution, the European Health Insurance Card
or a certificate, receives free health services within the general health
care system. A doctor, who practises within the health care system, can
refer the patient to the diagnostic tests in order to confirm the preliminary
diagnosis and to confirm that the referral to a specialist or to a hospital
is necessary.
Specialist out-patient care
In case of need of out-patient specialist treatment a referral of the
doctor who practises within health care system is required. No referral
is required to following specialists:
- gynaecologist and midwife,
- dentist,
- dermatologist,
- venerologist,
- oncologist,
- ophtalmologist,
- psychiatrist,
and for following persons:
- suffering from tuberculosis,
- infected with HIV,
- war invalids,
- addicted to alcohol, stupefacients and psychoactive substances -
in case of recovering treatment.
- and in case of sudden illness, accident, injury, intoxication, life
threat a patient receives necessary medical benefits.
A patient who presented form E111 issued by his competent institution
or European Health Insurance Card or a certificate receives free health
services within the general health insurance system.
Dental treatment
Majority of the costs of health services related to dental care is covered
by insured persons from their own means.
A patient who presents form E111 issued by his competent institution,
European Health Insurance Card or a certificate receives free dental services
within the general health insurance system only in the restricted scope
specified in the Regulation of Minister of Health of 18 June 2003 (Official
Journal 03.115.1088).
Hospital treatment
If there is a need of hospital treatment, a doctor's referral is required.
In case of sudden illness, accident, injury, intoxication, life threat,
a patient receives necessary medical benefits without referral.
A patient who presented form E 111 issued by his competent institution,
European Health Insurance Card or a certificate, receives free dental
services within the general health care system.
Rescue services and ambulance transport
In case of accident, injury, childbirth, sudden illness or sudden deterioration
of the state of health, a person entitled to health care under EEA rules,
can receive in the territory of Poland free rescue services and ambulance
transport on the basis of form E111 issued by the competent institution,
European Health Insurance Card or a certificate.
Medicines and medicinal products
An insured person or a person entitled under the EEA rules is provided
with medicines or medicinal products on the basis of a prescription issued
by a doctor who practises within the health care system or a doctor who
does not practise within this system, but has concluded a contract with
the Fund authorizing him to issue prescriptions.
Prescriptions can be redeemed in generally available pharmacies on presenting
the form.
Prescribed medicines can be purchased:
- for a lump-sum price (basic medicines and medicines made on recipe),
- for 30 or 50% of the price of a medicine (supplementary medicines).
Polish
institutions committed with the coordination of social security systems
in the field of health benefits in kind
- Competent authority - The Minister of Health
- Liaison body - according to the Polish proposal contained in the
project of the Annex to the Regulation No. 574/72, after the approval
of the European Commission, the Head office of the National Health Fund
will be the liaison body
- Competent institution - according to the Polish proposal contained
in the project of the Annex to the Regulation No. 574/72, after the
approval of the European Commission, the regional branches of the National
Health Fund will be the competent institution.
Teleaddress data of the liaison body
Head office of the National Health Fund - The International Cooperation
Office (Centrala Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia - Biuro Wspólpracy Miedzynarodowej)
ul. Grójecka 186
02-390 Warszawa
tel. +48 (22) 572 60 36, +48 (22) 572-60-36, +48 (22) 572-61-12
fax +48 (22) 572 63 30.
Teleaddress data of the competent institutions:
Dolnoslaski OW
ul. Joanitów 6
50-252 Wroclaw
tel. +48 (71) 374-73-43, +48 (71) 374-73-01
fax +48 (71) 374-72-01
Kujawsko-Pomorski OW
ul. Mickiewicza 15
85-071 Bydgoszcz
tel. +48 (52) 325-27-04
fax +48 (52) 325-27-09
Lubelski OW
ul. Szkolna 16
20-124 Lublin
tel. +48 (81) 94-88, +48 (81) 748-36-57 wew. 173
fax +48 (81) 531-05-29
Lubuski OW
ul. Podgórna 9B
65-057 Zielona Góra
tel. +48 (68) 328-77-77, +48 (68) 328-76-69
fax +48 (68) 328-76-54
e-mail: infoeuro@nfz-zielonagora.pl
Lódzki OW
ul. Kopciñskiego 58
90-032 £ódŸ
tel. +48 (42) 677 49 40, +48 (42) 677 49 76
fax +48 (42) 67 74 001
Malopolski OW
ul. Ciemna 6
31-053 Kraków
tel. +48 (12) 94-88, +48 (12) 298-83-86,
faks +48 (12) 430-64-40
e-mail:nfz@bci.krakow.pl
Mazowiecki OW
ul. Prosta 69
00-838 Warszawa
tel. +48 (22) 444-15-01, +48 (22) 444-15-02
e-mail: wniosek@nfz-warszawa.pl
Opolski OW
ul. Glogowska 37
43-315 Opole
tel. + 48 (77) 402-01-00, + 48 (77) 402-01-85, + 48 (77) 402-01-86
fax + 48 (77) 402-01-01
Podkarpacki OW
ul. Zamkowa 8
35-032 Rzeszów
tel. +48 (17) 860-41-97, +48 (17) 860-41-78, +48 (17) 860-41-18, +48 (17)
860-41-41
fax +48 (17) 852-86-19
Podlaski OW
ul. Palacowa 3
15-042 Bialystok
tel. +48 (85) 745-95-87, +48 (85) 745-95-88
fax +48 (85) 745-95-39
e-mail:dchojnacka@nfz-bialystok.pl
mpieciun@nfz-bialystok.pl
Pomorski OW
ul. Podwale Staromiejskie 69
80-844 Gdansk
tel. +48 (58) 321-86-26, +48 (58) 321-86-35
fax +48 (58) 321-85-15
e-mail: gdansk@nfz-gdansk.pl
Slaski OW
ul. Kossutha 13
40-844 Katowice
tel. +48 (32) 200-40-40, +48 (32) 735-19-00
faks +48 (32) 252-84-13
e-mail: zdrowieue@nfz-katowice.pl
Swietokrzyski OW
ul. Jana Pawla II 9
25-025 Kielce
tel. +48 (41) 364-61-36
fax +48 (41) 362-90-72
Warminsko-Mazurski OW
ul. Zolnierska 16
10-561 Olsztyn
tel. +48 (89) 94-88, 532-74-14, +48 (89) 539-19-27
fax +48 (89) 533-96-70
e-mail: jolanta.munje@nfz-olsztyn.pl, marta.czerwinska@nfz-olsztyn.pl
Wielkopolski OW
ul. Grunwaldzka 158
60-309 Poznan
tel. +48 (61) 94 88
fax +48 (61) 850 60 68
Zachodniopomorski OW
ul. Arkonska 45
71-470 Szczecin
tel. +48 (91) 425-10-10, +48 (91) 94-88
fax +48 (91) 42 51 177
e-mail: wnioskiE@nfz-szczecin.pl
Source: www.nfz.gov.pl
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