The last meeting of the National Health Fund Council is on July 15th. We know who will take the seat in the new term.
- On July 15, the National Health Fund Council will meet for the last time in this term.
- On the agenda: opinion on the draft financial plan of the National Health Fund for 2026 and the forecast of the Fund's revenues and costs for the next three years (2026-2028)
- A day later, Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna will appoint a new Council for another five-year term. The first names have been announced.
On Tuesday, July 15, the National Health Fund (NFZ) Council will meet for the last time in its current composition. Its members are completing their five-year terms. During the meeting, the Council will review the NFZ's financial plan for 2026, as well as the revenue and cost forecast for 2026-2028.
"This is an opinion that in no way binds the Minister of Health. The council's role is too soft, and its opinions have no real impact on further decisions at the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Finance," says Małgorzata Gałązka-Sobotka, who is stepping down from her position after 15 years on the council.
Let us recall that the National Health Fund budget had previously been positively assessed by the Parliamentary Public Finance Committee , but unexpectedly the Health Committee expressed a negative opinion on it .
"What can be questioned about this plan? First and foremost, its underestimation of the budget subsidy, in the context of the expenses we know will be incurred," says Gałązka-Sobotka.
He reminds us that recent history shows that the National Health Fund's financial plan changes several times a year. "The final plan, with which we end a given budget year, is often tens of billions of zlotys higher than the initial one," he explains, adding that rejecting the current plan—although underestimated—"seems irrational, as it destabilizes the financial position of the healthcare sector."
The expert emphasizes, however, that the system requires reorganization to avoid the current waste of money.
"I highly expect a review of the rules for financing healthcare services, so that they are more rationally allocated to policyholders. I strongly believe that the growing queues for doctors are not just a matter of lack of funds, but also of poor organization . Currently, there's a lot of waste in the mechanisms adopted by the National Health Fund, " Gałązka-Sobotka points out.
"At Tuesday's Council meeting, the task force I led will present our recommendations to the board, including what changes should be introduced and what mechanisms should be developed to increase the efficiency of public funds allocation within the Fund. Because I absolutely see that it's not just a matter of money, but how we spend it," she adds.
The approval of the new year's budget will conclude the Council's five-year term. A day later (Wednesday, July 16), a ceremony to establish the new Council is scheduled at the Ministry of Health.
As determined by Rynek Zdrowia, on behalf of the Social Dialogue Council, the chief economist of the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs, Łukasz Kozłowski (employers’ organizations), and the vice-chairman of the Trade Union Forum , Dariusz Trzcionka (trade union organizations) were appointed to the NFZ Council.
The Ministry of Finance nominated economist and Adam Smith Center expert Anna Gołębicka . On behalf of patient organizations, the recommendation went to Marta Bednarek of the Rak'n'Roll Foundation.
The National Health Fund Council in the outgoing term:
- Rudolf Borusiewicz - Chairman of the Council of the National Health Fund, candidate nominated by the local government side of the Joint Commission of Government and Territorial Self-Government;
- Małgorzata Gałązka-Sobotka - Deputy Chairman of the Council of the National Health Fund, candidate nominated by the Social Dialogue Council;
- Maria Jolanta Ochman - candidate nominated by the Social Dialogue Council;
- Joanna Anna Jończyk - candidate nominated by the patient organization;
- Krystyna Machulak - member of the National Health Fund Council appointed by the Prime Minister;
- Anna Karczmarz - member of the National Health Fund Council appointed by the minister responsible for health;
- Michał Edward Skoczylas - member of the National Health Fund Council appointed by the minister responsible for health;
- Jarosław Fiks - member of the National Health Fund Council appointed by the Patient Rights Ombudsman;
- Zbigniew Bogusław Teter, member of the National Health Fund Council, appointed jointly by the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Justice and the minister responsible for internal affairs.
The National Health Fund's total revenues are expected to increase by 9.9% compared to the revenues specified in the 2025 financial plan. They will reach PLN 217.3 billion .
Of this, revenues from health insurance contributions will amount to PLN 184.3 billion (PLN 179.8 billion from ZUS and PLN 4.5 billion from KRUS), with PLN 173.1 billion in 2025 (PLN 168.8 billion and PLN 4.3 billion, respectively).
The subsidy from the state budget will total PLN 26 billion . This will be nearly PLN 8 billion higher than the original 2025 plan (PLN 18.3 billion). However, it should be noted that this amount was increased in the first months of this year, reaching PLN 23.4 billion at the end of June, and further funding is planned.
Expenditures on healthcare services – that is, how much the National Health Fund spends on treatment – constitute 92.55% of the fund's costs specified in the draft financial plan for 2026.
They are planned at the level of PLN 201.2 billion (PLN 183.6 billion in 2025, an increase of 9.6%), including:
- PLN 100.1 billion - hospital treatment (PLN 90.1 billion in 2025),
- PLN 22.8 billion - primary health care (PLN 19.6 billion in 2025),
- PLN 17.4 billion - outpatient specialist care (PLN 15.9 billion in 2025).
The costs of free medicines for children and seniors 65+ are planned at PLN 3.5 billion (PLN 2.9 billion in 2025), and for pregnant women PLN 40.6 million (PLN 27.4 million in 2025).
The total budget for reimbursement was set at PLN 30.7 billion .
PLN 5.5 billion has been planned for the implementation of the tasks of medical rescue teams (PLN 4.8 billion planned for 2025).
Administrative costs will amount to PLN 1.7 billion – including PLN 804 million in salaries, which constitutes 46.51% of administrative costs and 0.37% of the total costs of the National Health Fund.
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