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Health care in Poland for ex-pats



MrBubblesThreads: 13
Posts: 768
Joined: Nov 13, 07 		  Nov 23, 07, 04:39 /  #
I'm an English ex-pat - I spend most of my time in Poland (at least 8 months a year).

The question is, am I entitled to medical care in a public hospital in Poland? I pay voluntary NI contributions to the UK system and I'm up to date with them.

If not, what the heck should I do? Private medical insurance?

Grateful for any advice!!!!!
LukaszThreads: 73
Posts: 2,396
Joined: Sep 1, 07 		  Nov 23, 07, 07:14 /  #
I think yes, if you are insured in one of EU countries you should have health care in Polnand , but I dont know the details ...
AvalonThreads: 3
Posts: 808
Joined: Sep 11, 07 		  Nov 23, 07, 07:42 /  #
You should have your "European Health Card" (This replaced the E111). If you are paying NI contributions in the UK you are covered for treatment throughout the EU. This includes all forms of treatment but excludes repatriation to the UK by air ambulance etc, for this you will need private insurance.
MrBubblesThreads: 13
Posts: 768
Joined: Nov 13, 07 		  Nov 23, 07, 08:05 /  #
Thanks for the advice Lukasz, Avalon.

Hope you don't mind but I decided to check the National Insurance helpline just to be double certain. The Inland Revenue seem fairly unanimous that since I'm currently resident in Poland, my British contributions unfortunately don't cover me for hospital treatment. The E111 is really only for tourists.

If I weren't working, I could fill in an 'E106' and I would be covered, although this is really for people who are going abroad to retire.

So - looks like I have to start paying ZUS contributions. Bleedin racket or what?
LondonChickThreads: 43
Posts: 1,261
Joined: Nov 19, 07 		  Nov 24, 07, 08:50 /  #
Not sure if this site would be of any help to you: statmedica.com
MrBubblesThreads: 13
Posts: 768
Joined: Nov 13, 07 		  Nov 24, 07, 09:01 /  #
Quoting: LondonChick

Not sure if this site would be of any help to you


Thanks! Good article -

statmedica.com/hospitals.php?art=aw1
ukpolskaThreads: 51
Posts: 2,237
Joined: Oct 23, 06  Gold Member MEMBER 		  Nov 24, 07, 09:23 /  #
Just a thought, if you go self-employed here, there is a offer on at the moment where you only pay 50% of your zus (National Insurance) contributions for the 1st two years. And then you will be automatically covered for health care along with claiming a lot of tax back for expenses.
dtaylorThreads: 15
Posts: 992
Joined: Sep 15, 07 		  Nov 24, 07, 10:02 /  #
Poland and the UK have an agreement where all essential health care is free. So poles can use the NHS, and i can use the polish health service. didnt know about it untill i had to go to hospital after dislocating my shoulder-ouch:(
rexThreads: 1
Posts: 38
Joined: Nov 18, 07 		  Nov 24, 07, 10:04 /  #
get a private medical care mate the public one here in Poland is real bad even private is bad

I have medicover and still not good call another day for a specialist had to wait for a week

crazy here
cableracerThreads: -
Posts: 4
Joined: Jul 23, 09 		  Jul 24, 09, 21:00 /  #
The Yanks should take notice about how ****** socialized, "FREE", medicine is. That left-wing-pinko-loon in the White House is trying to ram that crap up the backsides of the ignorants there.
delphiandomineThreads: 42
Posts: 9,954
Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]		   Jul 24, 09, 21:41 /  #
cableracer:
The Yanks should take notice about how ****** socialized, "FREE", medicine is. That left-wing-pinko-loon in the White House is trying to ram that crap up the backsides of the ignorants there.

Nothing wrong with the French system, and it's regarded as being one of the finest in the world.
cableracerThreads: -
Posts: 4
Joined: Jul 23, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 21:52 /  #
....Yeah, The French...the gleaming beacons of socialzed medicine...The champion every socialist swine should aspire to be. .But everything wrong with the Brit and Canadian system....I personally know of people who had to go to VETERINARIANS to have "black" medical care because they could not get a HUMAN doctor appointment. Not one-off occurrences, mind you, either. Pretty F'ing sad, I'd say. Animals often get better care than humans. People should at least get the same level care as animals.
TheOtherThreads: 5
Posts: 1,583
Joined: Jul 13, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 21:58 /  #
cableracer:
The champion every socialist swine should aspire to be

You watch FOX News far too often.
niejestemcapitaThreads: 3
Posts: 666
Joined: Jan 3, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:11 /  #
dtaylor:
So poles can use the NHS, and i can use the polish health service.

may i ask if u had to show an EHIC card or just your british passport please?
dtaylor5632Threads: 49
Posts: 4,459
Joined: May 2, 09  Pictures: 3 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:14 /  #
Just the passport, if you need long term treatment, u either have to present your usual details (nip, persol ect), or you may have quite a bill. Emergency treatment is free of course for the Brits, and most people im guessing. I'll try and find out more.
niejestemcapitaThreads: 3
Posts: 666
Joined: Jan 3, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:15 /  #
dtaylor5632:
I'll try and find out more

thanks alot dtaylor i need to know this at the moment!!
tj123Threads: -
Posts: 104
Joined: Jul 31, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:18 /  #
dtaylor5632:
Emergency treatment is free of course for the Brits, and most people im guessing.

Only EU members. Everyone else pays full price if you don't have insurance or haven't paid for ZUS.
dtaylor5632Threads: 49
Posts: 4,459
Joined: May 2, 09  Pictures: 3 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:20 /  #
niejestemcapita:
thanks alot dtaylor i need to know this at the moment!!

No problem, if you pay tax, you get the same treatment as everyone else.
tj123:
Only EU members. Everyone else pays full price if you don't have insurance or haven't paid for ZUS.

Yup, though i need to dig up this info about the Brits here, I forget the agreement to two governments have.
tj123Threads: -
Posts: 104
Joined: Jul 31, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:23 /  #
tj123:
Only EU members. Everyone else pays full price if you don't have insurance or haven't paid for ZUS.



I am not complaining about this fact simply making sure nobody thinks they will get free care when they won't. Funny enough even the crappy, dirty public system hospitals charge as much as the nicer Private places like Damian. If you have to pay might as well go to the nicer place.
dtaylor5632Threads: 49
Posts: 4,459
Joined: May 2, 09  Pictures: 3 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:27 /  #
tj123:
I am not complaining

We know, you make a good point :)
niejestemcapitaThreads: 3
Posts: 666
Joined: Jan 3, 09 		  Jul 31, 09, 22:38 /  #
dtaylor5632:
No problem, if you pay tax, you get the same treatment as everyone else.

I meant for visitors>????
dtaylor5632Threads: 49
Posts: 4,459
Joined: May 2, 09  Pictures: 3 		Edited by: dtaylor5632   Jul 31, 09, 22:40 /  #
Um, you will need european insurance card. Depends on whats wrong, PM me if you like.
cableracerThreads: -
Posts: 4
Joined: Jul 23, 09 		Edited by: cableracer   Aug 2, 09, 07:23 /  #
TheOther:
You watch FOX News far too often.

Hey! Congratulations! I Guess YOU do too! Good to see you're getting a little culture...
MrBubblesThreads: 13
Posts: 768
Joined: Nov 13, 07 		  Aug 2, 09, 11:39 /  #
dtaylor5632:
Yup, though i need to dig up this info about the Brits here, I forget the agreement to two governments have.

Well, it was actually really difficult to get a straight answer from either the Polish or the British SS so in the end I took citzenship and started paying ZUS. I'm hoping this will cover me if I get hit by a bus or something.
delphiandomineThreads: 42
Posts: 9,954
Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]		   Aug 6, 09, 17:54 /  #
MrBubbles:
Well, it was actually really difficult to get a straight answer from either the Polish or the British SS so in the end I took citzenship and started paying ZUS. I'm hoping this will cover me if I get hit by a bus or something.

As far as I understand it, when you cease to be UK resident in terms of taxation, then your insurance under the NHS will stop. That's the point when you need to be paying ZUS - but it seems to depend on just how much they bother to check. In theory, only emergency care should be free - follow up care should be provided by the home country. But Brits for certain have been using the EHIC card for routine stuff (I use it to see a doctor here, no problem) and the NFZ appears to be accepting it - so who knows?

The EHIC system is a horrible mess, imo.
aerosol666   Oct 7, 09, 12:24 /  #
In the UK you show them nothing. Whether you are a tourist, an immigrant, a visting worker, a citizen or from the planet Zod, you just turn up at a UK hospital and get treated, no questions asked.

Unlike the US, we don't leave people to die in the street if they are unable to afford health care.
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