Poland’s healthcare system features both public and private hospitals. Public hospitals will allow patients to access quality healthcare but at the cost of potentially long waiting times and lack of multilingual staff, both of which its private counterpart makes up for.

Below are the public and private healthcare systems in Poland.

Public Hospitals in Poland

Public hospitals in Poland will allow both expats and local Polish citizens to access quality healthcare but at the cost of either potentially long waiting times delaying treatment urgency and problematic language barrier. Listed below is an example of a notable public hospital in Poland:

• Children’s Memorial Health Institute: This hospital is Poland’s largest and well-equipped institute offering pediatric care in Poland, allowing expat parents to seek quality pediatric care for their children.

Note: Because of the shortcomings of public hospitals mentioned above, private health insurance is generally preferred, which then brings us to our next point.

Private Hospitals in Poland

Private hospitals in Poland make up for its public counterpart’s limitations by offering considerably shorter waiting times, access to multilingual medical staff, as well as superior amenities. As such, despite its higher cost, private hospitals are generally preferred among expats.

Below are examples of notable private hospitals in Poland:

• Medicover Hospital (Warsaw): This private hospital in Warsaw employs approximately 400 doctors with 300 midwives and features various departments of medical services such as obstetrics, cardiology, emergency, wellness medicine, and many more.
• Carolina Medical Center: Also located in Warsaw, this private hospital features numerous departments of medical specializations such as neurosurgery, audiology, pain management, allergology, and many more.

International Health Insurance for Expats in Poland

While Poland has its options for health insurance available for expats and locals alike, international health insurance is an option worth considering. While public health insurance is available, it may grant access to facilities that may actually be crowded or short in multilingual staff.

Fortunately, an international health insurance plan will allow expats to access even better medical facilities in Poland, which also means they’ll be subject to much shorter waiting times and will be able to communicate easily with medical staff without worrying about language barrier issues.

Health Insurance Options for Expats in Poland

Health insurance in Poland includes public and private health insurance, the former of which will involve registration work for qualification but at the cost of long waiting times and language barriers. Meanwhile, its private counterpart makes up for the shortcomings of public health insurance.

Public Health Insurance in Poland

All Polish public healthcare facilities are provided by the Polish government’s health agency known as the Narodowy Fundusz Zdowria (NFZ). To qualify for the Polish public healthcare coverage and receive free treatment, expats and local citizens must fall into one of the following categories.

• Employed under a full-time contract.
• Working under a part-time contract for a minimum of 20 hours/week.
• Freelancing with a sole trader or proprietorship.
• Enrolled in a university (only for EU citizens).
• Holding a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
• Registered as unemployed or disabled.
• Dependent family members of someone in any of the aforementioned categories.

If you don’t fall into any of the categories, you can still qualify for NFZ coverage through voluntary insurance by visiting your city’s NFZ branch office to submit a registration form with your passport (for non-EU citizens, visa/residence permit), and filling out an application.

Then, bring your aforementioned documents plus NFZ contract to your nearest branch office of the Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych (ZUS), which is Poland’s social security agency, to fill out a second application. Both registrations must be completed as you can’t register for one without the other.

The exact cost of the NFZ’s voluntary insurance application varies each year, but typically ranges between 450-700 PLN (approximately USD $109.52-$170.36). Below are the key advantages and disadvantages of public health insurance for expats in Poland.

• Available Alternative: Even if you don’t qualify for the NFX coverage, you can alternatively apply through voluntary insurance.
• Multiple Categories of Qualifications to Pick: You don’t have to qualify for exactly all the categories and falling into one of those qualities will be enough.
• Access to Medical Facilities: The public health insurance plan will allow access to medical facilities throughout Poland.
• Potentially Long Waiting Times: Public medical facilities could get crowded, resulting in longer waiting times, which delays the treatment time for both emergency and non-emergency patients.
• Language Barrier Issues: For non-Polish speaking expats, language barrier could be incredibly problematic when it comes to communicating with and understanding what the medical staff are saying.

Private Health Insurance in Poland

Similar to private healthcare, private health insurance in Poland is once again generally preferred among expats. This can be seen in its ability to allow access to medical facilities with much shorter waiting times, multilingual staff, and far superior amenities.

Below are the key benefits of private health insurance in Poland:

• Free Specialist and Hospital Selection: Private health insurance will allow expats to freely choose any specific doctor and hospital they would like, which may also include those with multilingual staff, which brings us to our next point.
• Multilingual Staff Access: As a byproduct of the free specialist and hospital selection, private health insurance will allow expats to reach out to multilingual hospitals and doctors, allowing them to access quality healthcare and communicate seamlessly.
• Amenities: Private health insurance will also allow access to hospitals with amenities superior to its public counterpart, such as larger, more comfortable wards. This could also be especially useful for expats expecting a child in Poland.
• Additional Benefits: With private health insurance, expats can also add on additional benefits of their choosing on top of their default plans. These benefits may include maternity, dental, or vision care, all of which would be incredibly useful for expats and their families.
•  

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in Poland

The EHIC is a free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, or the UK under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries, such as Poland).

Cards are issued by your national health insurance provider and should be obtained in advance before coming to Poland.

It's important to note that the European Health Insurance Card is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare, costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property, or medical tourism.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Poland

Some prominent international health insurance providers for expats in Poland include Geoblue, Cigna, and many more. Below are brief descriptions on each key insurer as well as a quick rundown of their benefits.

Cigna Global Insurance Plan

Cigna Global’s comprehensive, customizable health insurance plans offer expats flexibility thanks to 24/7 customer service access and come in different variations such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum, each with different coverage levels and benefits.

Below are the common coverage benefits shared across Cigna Global’s health insurance plans:

GeoBlue

The Xplorer health insurance plan from Geoblue comes in essential and premier variations and is created for expats traveling from the United States for business, studying, or leisure. Expats can also choose between worldwide coverage options with or without the US.

Below are some of the general shared features across all of Geoblue’s plans.

April International

April International is known for offering health insurance uniquely tailored to expats, offering plans with hospitalization, outpatient services, dental, and maternity coverage. With user-friendly mobile claims and support, they also feature a 24/7 telemedicine service and a vast direct billing network.

The following are the shared coverage areas across all plans:

Factors to Consider When Securing Insurance in Poland

As an expat in Poland, securing health insurance requires thorough consideration on numerous crucial factors such as deciding beyond the price point in favor of the comprehensiveness of the benefits, staying mindful of pre-existing conditions, and more.

Below are key factors to consider if you are looking to secure health insurance as an expat in Poland.

• Decide Beyond the Price Point: The cheapest plan available might not actually guarantee comprehensive coverage, which will be an even bigger issue for expats looking to craft a safety net both for themselves and their families.
• Comprehensiveness of Benefits: Pay close attention to the benefits offered and if they meet your unique healthcare needs. For instance, you may want to invest in plans with benefits such as dental, vision, maternity, or inpatient and outpatient care.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: Bear in mind that some insurers may or may not accept your health insurance application if you have any pre-existing conditions like illnesses or injuries upon registration. On the other hand, some insurers may accept your application albeit with additional fees.
• Voluntary Insurance Application: As mentioned before, to qualify for the NFZ’s voluntary insurance scheme, you must complete both steps of the application to qualify as you can’t register for one without the other.

Health and Safety Tips for Expats in Poland

While generally safe, there is some risk of nonviolent crimes like theft or pickpocketing. Additionally, some common health issues and leading causes of death in Poland include heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Below are health and safety tips for expats in Poland to be mindful of.

• Theft and Pickpocketing: While Poland is safe, there is a risk of nonviolent crimes such as theft and pickpocketing. Refrain from bringing too many valuables and leaving them unattended as the slightest look away could cause item loss. Exercise caution in public transportation in particular.
• Common Health Issues: The most common health issues and leading causes of death in Poland include cardiovascular diseases like stroke or ischaemic heart disease, as well as lung cancer. Refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol and, if you don’t smoke, avoid areas with secondhand smoke.

Emergency Medical Services in Poland

In the event of an emergency, Poland has multiple emergency numbers including ambulance services, the police, and more, as listed below:

• Ambulance: 112/999
• Fire Department: 112/998
• Police: 112/997
• Municipal Guards: 986

Frequently Asked Questions

Is healthcare free in Poland?

Public healthcare, which includes general medical care, specialist consultations, hospital treatment, and emergency services in Poland are free. The cost of application for the NFZ’s voluntary insurance scheme will generally range from 450-700 PLN.

How do I find a doctor in Poland?

Expats can use websites such as Lekarze.org, which will provide a comprehensive list of healthcare providers in the country. However, we strongly recommend you secure international health insurance as, in addition to granting access to quality hospitals, you can also freely customize coverage.

Is Poland a safe country?

Poland is generally safe thanks to low crime rates, incredibly rare demonstrations of violence, and a very welcoming community. However, do exercise caution anyway as despite the rare occurrences of violent crimes, there may be risks of nonviolent crimes like pickpocketing and theft.

Conclusion

While the public health insurance scheme will allow access to public medical facilities in Poland, expats may find the potentially long waiting times and language barriers with medical staff problematic, which is where private health insurance shines with its greater accessibility and benefits.

If you would like to secure international health insurance, Pacific Prime can help you craft a safety net for yourself and your family. Our brokers, with more than 20 years of experience, have expats and local citizens find suitable health insurance plans that meet their unique needs.

Contact us today or compare quotes using our online quotation system!