Although it might require paying some extra money, many Poles choose this option, as it guarantees more comfort and reduces waiting times for getting an appointment. You can use the link here in order to search for the clinics that have a contract with NFZ. Individuals entitled to the general insurance and healthcare services financed from public funds are defined by the law from 27 August 2004 on healthcare services financed from public funds. Blue Cross Blue Shield Global is a brand owned by Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. A referral is a written instruction - a medical form filled in by a GP in order to make diagnostic tests, to take consultation with a medical specialist, to get hospital treatment, treatment in a specialist clinic, sanatorium treatment or rehabilitation. What is the biggest disadvantage of the system? That’s basically all you need to know! Forecasts say that Polish women born in 2017 will on average live to the age of 81.8 (6.6 years more than current life expectancy) while Polish men will live up to 74 years on average (7.8 years more). I would say it’s very very common in Poland and actually getting much more popular in the recent years. In general, you will need to choose the place you live and the complete list should appear. Another very common options and I would say even more common than PZU that are offered by an employer in Poland are Medicover and Luxmed. Most European citizens can access healthcare in Poland for free, given that they have joined the EHIC, or other mutual health insurance schemes between the countries. If you opt-in for the private insurance, one piece of advice would be though to check exactly what is included in your plan in order not to have any surprises. Speak to one of our advisers by calling +44 (0)1273 025 816 from 8am to 6pm GMT Monday to Friday. There are often fresh difficulties and possibilities to which the field must all over again adapt and react. In Poland voluntary or private health insurance is an insurance which enables to receive free (or partially reimbursed by the insurance company) access to selected medical institutions and medical services depending on the insurance coverage. This kind of medical subscription is quite popular, especially among foreigners. There are Medicover and Luxmed centers located within Poland's major cities including Bialystok, Warsaw, Bydgoszcz, Gdansk, Gdynia, Katowice, Krakow, Lublin, Lodz, Poznan, Szczecin, and Wroclaw. If not, they might have to call you back a few times to offer different dates. The assistance provided by the emergency medical service teams during medical emergencies is free of charge. Expats in Poland generally opt for treatment at private healthcare facilities due to the higher standard of treatment, and also because public hospital regulations generally do not allow private patients to attend public healthcare facilities. ; or 26 y.o. Which one is more suitable for foreigners? Many of you coming to Poland might be wondering about the health insurance works. From now on, you can visit all the … In general, I like it a lot as it has a huge number of services included in the plan. Within the major cities of Poland, expats can re… The Polish healthcare system bases its operations on the primary care physician. Thank you for your support! If you need treatment that isn't available locally, you’ll be evacuated to the nearest appropriate place of treatment, or repatriated to your home country, so you can be treated near family and friends. Rafa & Dagi. provided they pursue higher education), spouses as well as parents or grandparents (if they reside in the same household). If you hear about public health insurance services, NFZ is the institution that finances them. Doctors, nurses, and receptionists do not always speak English. For those living in Warsaw, many also attend the Damian Medical Centre (DMC), a private health facility offering inpatient and outpatient services, as well as general surgeries. Employer reports all newly recruited employees to the Social Insurance Institution by filling in the application form called ‘ZUS ZUA’. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running! Being employed in Poland – if you’re legally employed, the employer is obliged to notify the National Insurance Service (ZUS) that he is proud to have you in their company. Our in-house team of medical experts are available on the phone 24/7. One apple a day keeps the doctor away… And although Poland is known for its delicious apples, taking care of your health may require a bit more than that. It also does not cover your costs if you are traveling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment (i.e. Dental coverage is limited under the National Health Insurance scheme in Poland. Some of the plans offered by the employer are not even available for individuals unless we apply through a company. It does not cover any private healthcare, or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property. Whatever options you choose, a Bupa Global Worldwide Health Options plan gives you the freedom to choose when and where you are treated, within your area of cover. Be employed in Poland – if you are employed here you automatically pay many different taxes on a monthly basis such as income tax, Be unemployed and officially registered in the Work Council as unemployed, When you already have health insurance in other European Union countries. Please do get in touch with your feedback and questions - we're here to help. If you come from the EU or European Free Trade Association you can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) within the territory of ​​28 European Union countries and in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Private health insurance. This can be either on a compulsory or a voluntary basis. You do not need a referral to doctors like: gynaecologist, obstetrician, dentist, venereologist, psychiatrist and oncologist. If you visit the U.S. regularly and need medical cover while you are there, consider adding U.S. cover to your plan. Whether you visit Krakow with your partner, the whole family, or yourself, you can be sure that... Christmas is probably the most important holiday for the Polish people. Get the cover you need by customising your plan. It is a magical time when everyone seems so much happier. As I was younger I also used to go frequently to the general doctor when I had some cold, flu, etc, just to get checked whether it was not anything more serious. Home » Poland » Living & Working » Health Insurance in Poland, Disclosure: This blog recommends affiliate programs for readers. NFZ stands for Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia which translated into English means national health fund. If you are employed under a regular employment contract or a civil law contract (Polish: umowa zlecenie), your employer is obliged to pay your contribution for you. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. z o.o. Private health plan. Cards are issued by your national health insurance provider and should be obtained in advance before coming to Poland. So summarizing, the choices are there But it really depends on your personal preference what you would like to do. By the end of 2018, there were 2.6 million Poles, who purchased private health insurance, a number exceeding 2.5 million for the first time in history, Polish Insurance Association (PIU) reports. We are here to help! In order for you to register in a clinic, you need to find one that has a contract with NFZ (unfortunately, information about NFZ is in Polish). Within the major cities of Poland, expats can receive adequate primary care and medical treatment from well trained, English speaking staff. Anti-Spam Policy| Thank you for your enquiry, we will be in contact soon. Health care in Poland is Insurance based and is delivered through a publicly funded health care system called the Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, which is free for all the citizens of Poland provided they fall into the "insured" category (usually meaning that they have their health insurance paid for by their employer, or are the spouse or child of an insured person). Those who wish to stay in Poland should either obtain a travel insurance plan, or private health insurance in Poland to make sure their medical costs will be covered. Despite the favorable situation in the labor market, Poles leave their professional activity early. In case you do not have a private/public insurance or the waiting time for an appointment is too long you can also go privately to a doctor. Refer to the membership guide for full details. Private health insurance plans are gaining more and more popularity at the moment. In this post, we’ll explain about the health system and health insurance in Poland. We will do all the hard work for you, and recommend the best options for your needs. Patients in Poland require a referral from a general practitioner to see most types of specialist physicians, only excluding oncology, gynecology, psychiatry, dentistry, or sexually transmitted disease specialists. It is estimated that an increase of 10% in life expectancy will lead to an increase of 0.3 percentage points in GDP. Your parents sign you up for it once you are born. Thanks for your article. Be a wife/husband/child of a Polish citizen who works in Poland. I was born in a small city in Poland, around 80km away from Warsaw. The Polish healthcare system bases its operations on the primary care physician. Bupa is an independent licensee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. From now onward you are eligible for a free health insurance. Read about the average cost of international health plans in 100 locations, as well as unlock analysis on the latest health insurance trends. The National Health Fund (Polish: Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia; NFZ) is in charge of managing the publicly funded insurance scheme, but it is not obligatory to use this kind of service. Referrals are not needed in private health facilities, which are discussed below. There are many private institutions offering health care in Poland as well as a wide range of specialized doctors, especially in bigger cities.