Medical care
Before leaving to a new destination it is important to check what health services are vailable in that country. Health care systems vary from country to country and might not include some services that we would expect to get free.
Each insured person who comes from the European Union country or the European Free Trade Association country (Switzerland, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway) is entitled to free medical care. The only requirement is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Remember, that the card does not comprise private and planned treatment in health care units which do not have contract with the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ).
During the temporary stay in Poland the foreigner who possesses the EHIC (or another required certificate) can benefit from medical services, which are crucial from the medical perspective. Its’ main aim is to enable patients to continue their stay in Poland, so that they do not have to come back to their countries. The range of these services is determined by doctors.Medical services are given to foreigners on the same basis as for those insured in the NFZ.
The entitled person should be treated equally as the insured one.If the person who is insured in another country of the EU/EFTA has changed one’s address and has moved to Poland is obliged to obtain one of the following insurance forms: E106, E109, E120, E121, E123 or a portable document S1. One shall register this document with the relevant authorities in the country of residence. After that the patient and his/her family will have the same medical coverage as residents of that particular country.
– European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), and in the absence of an EHIC during the stay in Poland – Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC).
– E112 /S2 form
– E106/E109/E120/E121/ S1 form and a certification issued on their basis
In case of direct danger to life, one should call an ambulance – 999 or 112. The main information the dispatcher should know are:
– the exact place of an accident,
– the reason of calling,
– who needs help,
– who calls the ambulance.
The list of emergency departments
| Hospital | Address | Phone no. | Webpage |
| Jędrzej Śniadecki Voivodship Polyclinical Hospital in Bialystok | 26, Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie street, Bialystok | 00 48 85 748 81 00 | hospital webpage |
| University Clinical Hospital in Białystok | 24a, Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie street, Bialystok | 00 48 85 746 80 00 | hospital webpage |
| Białystok Children’s Clinical Hospital of Ludwik Zamenhof | 17, Jerzego Waszyngtona street, Bialystok | 00 48 85 745 05 00 | hospital webpage |
The list of night and festive medical care
| Hospital | Address | Phone no. | Webpage |
| Polish Red Cross Memorial Municipal Hospital | 79, Sienkiewicza street, Bialystok | 00 48 85 652 25 05, 00 48 85 663 73 10, 00 48 85 663 73 09 |
hospital webpage |
| Białystok Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration | 27, Fabryczna street, Bialystok | 00 48 47 710 42 04 | hospital webpage |
| Jędrzej Śniadecki Voivodship Polyclinical Hospital in Bialystok | 26, Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie street, Bialystok | 00 48 85 748 81 26, 00 48 85 748 81 27, 00 48 85 663 73 10 |
hospital webpage |
| Białystok Children’s Clinical Hospital of Ludwik Zamenhof | 17, Jerzego Waszyngtona street, Bialystok | 00 48 85 745 06 73 | hospital webpage |
General information concerning access to health care during a temporary stay in Poland
PHC surgeries are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. After 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, healthcare is provided by the so called 24 hour- medical service units that are contracted for such services by the NFZ. Addresses and telephone numbers of units providing 24 hour-medical service are available in primary healthcare surgeries.
- gynecologist and obstetrician,
- dentist,
- venereologist,
- oncologist,
- psychiatrist
and in the cases of the following persons:
- TB patients,
- HIV – infected,
- addicted to alcohol, drugs and psychoactive substances – in relation to a detoxification treatment,
- disabled war veterans and soldiers, victims of oppression and combatants,
- blind civil victims of war,
- entitled soldiers or employees, in relation to the treatment of injuries and illnesses incurred while performing tasks outside the country,
- injured veterans, in relation to the treatment of injuries and illnesses incurred while performing tasks outside the country.
Apart from the above, persons who received the Diagnosis and Oncological Treatment Card from their PHC doctor do not need to have a referral.
In the event of an accident, injury, poisoning or a life-threatening condition you will receive all the necessary medical services without a referral.
A list of free services and dental materials should be available at dentist surgeries. The costs of the provision of non-standard dental services and materials, that is, those that are not on the list of the Minister of Health, will be charged from the patient.
In the event of a sudden illness, an accident, injury, poisoning or a life-threatening condition you will receive all the necessary medical services without a referral to the hospital.
You should go to the hospital, which signed a contract with the NFZ and present your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Provisional Replacement Certificate of the EHIC. During your stay in the hospital, all treatments, examinations and medicines are provided free of charge, except for non-standard services the cost of which must be covered from your own funds.
You must show your European Health Insurance Card or a Provisional Replacement Certificate of the EHIC.
The Diagnosis and Oncological Treatment Card entitles the patient to receive diagnostic services without a referral, which aim is to confirm or exclude the existence of a suspected cancer.
In the case the existence of a malignant tumor is confirmed, then on the basis of the Diagnosis and Oncological Treatment Card, the patient has the right to receive healthcare services aimed at the treatment of this cancer in outpatient specialist care or in the hospital without showing a referral.
A patient, who is the holder of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Provisional Replacement Certificate of the EHIC, and intends to make use of oncological diagnosis or treatment, is required to leave the Diagnosis and Oncological Treatment Card at the healthcare provider where the services will be received. In the case the healthcare provider must be changed, the patient receives the Diagnosis and Oncological Treatment Card back and can submit it to another provider in order to continue the treatment.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Provisional Replacement Certificate of the EHIC must be presented to the pharmacist.
The prescribed medicine can be purchased:
- free of charge;
- at the payment of 30% or 50% of their funding limit – up to the funding limit and at a surcharge in the amount of the difference between the retail price and the amount of the funding limit;
- at a fixed rate of 3,20 PLN in the case of basic medicine and 8,80 PLN in the case of supplementary medicine;
- paid in full – in the case of medicine that is not included in the list of reimbursed medicine.
After an agreement with the Polish healthcare provider, who has signed acontract with the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) about the conditions and the deadline for the provision of the planned services, acopy of E112/S2 Form should be submitted to the appropriate regional branch of the Polish National Health Fund respective of the headquarters of the service provider.
Polish institutions involved in the coordination of social security systems in the field of healthcare benefits in kind are as follows:
- The competent authority – Minister of Health
- The Liaison Body – Headquarters of the Polish National Health Fund
- The competent institution / according to the place of residence / place of stay – 16 regional branches of the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ)
