A revolution in obesity treatment in Poland. Effective January 2026.
- On July 9, experts and MPs discussed the future of the KOS-BAR program during a meeting of the Parliamentary Group for a Healthy Lifestyle.
- - Minister Izabela Leszczyna has significantly increased the pace of work and ordered not to wait for the end of the pilot program, but to introduce the program into the basket of guaranteed benefits from January 2026 - announced Dominika Janiszewska-Kajka from the Department of Health at the Ministry of Health.
Treating people with morbid obesity requires the involvement of multiple specialists. Bariatric surgery is often the best option. In Poland, this option is offered by a pilot program of coordinated specialist care for these patients, known as KOS-BAR , which has been implemented for several years.
Patients participating in the program are prepared for gastric bypass surgery. Already in the first stage of treatment, when the patient is cared for by a team of specialists, including a surgeon, a metabolist, psychologist, dietitian, physiotherapist, and rehabilitation specialist, the patient is required to lose 5 to 10 percent of their initial body weight. The surgery itself brings further results.
Experts and MPs discussed the future of the program during Wednesday's (July 9) meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for Healthy Lifestyles and Combating Overweight and Obesity. Dominika Janiszewska-Kajka, Deputy Director of the Department of Healthcare at the Ministry of Health, was present at the meeting and announced that the program will be included in the National Health Fund's benefits package in early 2026.
"We have provided care to over 13,000 patients. Today, these patients are satisfied and are being evaluated. Our information shows that the program is working. Patients are not returning to their condition at the time of enrollment," said the deputy director of the Department of Health and Human Services at the Ministry of Health.
Therefore, the first tangible effect of the work of the Obesity Prevention Team established last year at the Ministerial Council for Public Health will be the introduction of bariatric treatment for patients with morbid obesity as a standard guaranteed service.
"We plan to introduce KOS-BAR permanently into the system. This is the first step, which actually puts out the fire a bit, saving those most affected by obesity. Minister Izabela Leszczyna has significantly accelerated our work and instructed us not to wait for the pilot program to end (planned for June 30, 2026 - editor's note), but to introduce the program into the guaranteed benefits basket starting in January 2026, " announced Janiszewska-Kajka.
As a result, the official explained, the pilot will undergo a partial evaluation while it is still in progress (likely by the end of this year). The ministry will also, independently of this, refer the program to the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System (AOTMiT).
KOS-BAR, as a guaranteed benefit, will likely be modified compared to the pilot program. Patients enrolled in treatment will still need to undergo qualification and will receive bariatric care. However, the question of expanding the program to include comprehensive education and rehabilitation for post-surgery patients remains open.
Prof. Mariusz Wyleżoł, president-elect of the Polish Society for the Treatment of Obesity and head of the Warsaw Center for Comprehensive Obesity Treatment and Bariatric Surgery at Czerniakowski Hospital, pointed out that simply transferring the program to the guaranteed benefits package is difficult because since its launch, there has been enormous progress in the treatment of obesity.
"I'm referring primarily to the introduction of weight management medications, which are undoubtedly a breakthrough in modern medicine. This was the focus of our discussions regarding what the program should look like. I believe that on July 18th , at the meeting of the Public Health Council, our team will present its recommendations for the treatment model developed during the meetings," the expert emphasized.
The KOS-BAR pilot program was, as a reminder, introduced in 2022. It is addressed to patients aged 18 to 65 with a body mass index (BMI) above 40 and no comorbidities, as well as people with a BMI of 35-40 and at least one obesity-related disease (e.g. type 2 diabetes or hypertension), in whom bariatric surgery may improve their health.
The pilot program has been extended several times. This year's regulations amend its implementation until June 30, 2026.
During the Team meeting, Janiszeska-Kajka also mentioned that the Ministry of Health is considering introducing preventive services for obesity, which would be targeted at children and adults. Various options are currently being considered.
"In previous years, there have been ideas for implementing such preventive measures, but please remember that implementing a solution on a large scale must be supported by a recommendation that it will work and be clinically and cost-effective. This is the biggest problem, as regional initiatives are very difficult to translate to a nationwide scale," she explained when asked about planned obesity prevention activities.
The team of experts operating at the Ministry of Health has also undertaken activities aimed at creating a list of standards and good practices for teaching obesity prevention and treatment for universities offering medical programs .
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