Healthcare In Poland For An EU Citizen

ianaus:

I wanted to ask about receiving healthcare in Poland. Do they have something similar to the NHS there? Or similar to Medicare in Australia? And if so, being an EU citizen would I qualify for it? Bear in mind it is about 3 years since I have even been in Europe.

If they do, how much does it cost? And is private health cover/insurance expensive?

ianausThreads: 8 Posts: 22 Joined: Oct 16, 08	Feb 26, 09, 22:19 / #
Hello guys, I am an English guy, currently living in Australia and will be moving to Poland in just a few weeks. I wanted to ask about receiving healthcare in Poland. Do they have something similar to the NHS there? Or similar to Medicare in Australia? And if so, being an EU citizen would I qualify for it? Bear in mind it is about 3 years since I have even been in Europe. If they do, how much does it cost? And is private health cover/insurance expensive? Thank you in advance. Ian

dtaylorThreads: 15 Posts: 992 Joined: Sep 15, 07	Feb 26, 09, 22:54 / #
It depends, if you are a UK citizen, the health care is free. I'm not sure about other countries. But im guessing if your paying taxes then you should be entitled to healthcare here.

ianausThreads: 8 Posts: 22 Joined: Oct 16, 08	Feb 27, 09, 09:58 / #
Yes, I am a UK citizen. I have lived in a number of different countries, but I still retain my UK citizenship. So what do I need to do when I arrive in Poland next month? Do I need to register for healthcare or something? And of course I will be paying taxes in Poland (but I am self-employed), so does that automatically qualify me for healthcare? And who covers it - England or Poland? I know when my mother lived in France, the British government paid for her healthcare because she was still on UK benefits. But I don't receive anything like that, and have not paid UK taxes since I left England 3 years ago.

sobieskiThreads: 82 Posts: 1,141 Joined: Jun 1, 08	Mar 2, 09, 20:55 / #
I think you need to have evidence you paid social benefits as an EU citizen in a EU country during the last couple of years, in order to register for NFZ services. Anyway, if you can afford it, pay for private health care here. I avoid any NFZ outfit if I can help it. Check Medicover, Damian, Enelmed.... they offer healthcare on a level you know from home.

TyskieThreads: 1 Posts: 30 Joined: Mar 2, 09	Edited by: Tyskie Mar 2, 09, 23:16 / #
ianaus: I know when my mother lived in France, the British government paid for her healthcare because she was still on UK benefits. But I don't receive anything like that, and have not paid UK taxes since I left England 3 years ago. Healthcare in France is generally free anyway (and very good too, from what I've heard).

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,213 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Mar 3, 09, 00:03 / #
And where the public health care is good ? ianaus: And of course I will be paying taxes in Poland (but I am self-employed), so does that automatically qualify me for healthcare? Yes...

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]	Mar 3, 09, 14:21 / #
ianaus: I wanted to ask about receiving healthcare in Poland. Do they have something similar to the NHS there? Or similar to Medicare in Australia? And if so, being an EU citizen would I qualify for it? Bear in mind it is about 3 years since I have even been in Europe. Yep, there's something called the NFZ. It operates slightly differently to the NHS - many places will be both NFZ and private, so you have to ensure that you're being treated under the NFZ scheme and not privately. But you won't qualify automatically... The UK NHS won't be covering you anymore, as you will have lost residence in the UK. If they do, how much does it cost? And is private health cover/insurance expensive? It's cheap for me, but it depends on your age. http://www.medicover.pl is your friend in this respect for health care. Public health care is funded via something that you'll grow to hate called ZUS - which is basically a horrifically high social tax that goes to pay pensions and health care. But be warned, the system is very awkward - residence alone doesn't give you NFZ cover (unlike the UK NHS), although there are apparently ways to get round the requirement to actually pay ZUS a penny.

JucheThreads: 13 Posts: 356 Joined: Feb 17, 09	Mar 3, 09, 14:28 / #
Grzegorz_: And where the public health care is good ? Finland, France, Canada, etc its a long list

ianausThreads: 8 Posts: 22 Joined: Oct 16, 08	Edited by: Moderator Jun 8, 09, 22:41 / #
Jun 8, 09, 23:15 - Thread attached on merging: Where can I find out about the cost of private healthcare in Poland? Hey guys, I recently seen a urologist privately who informed me that I need a surgery. I asked him how much the surgery would cost but he was not sure. How or where can I go to find out how much surgery and private healthcare costs are in Poland? I have no idea where to even start looking. Thank you in advance... Ian

peter_olsztynThreads: 8 Posts: 760 Joined: Apr 18, 07	Jun 8, 09, 23:26 / #
ianaus: How or where can I go to find out how much surgery and private healthcare costs are in Poland? I have no idea where to even start looking. google: cennik "zabiegi urologiczne" Highest price is about 5000zł