Representatives of trade unions and employers' organizations, working within the Trilateral Team for Health Care, have issued an appeal to Health Minister Izabela Leszczyny and Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski to ensure stable conditions for the functioning of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tarification. They warn that further underfunding and failure to decide on an increase in staffing could jeopardize the implementation of key tasks imposed on AOTMiT by the legislature.
AOTMiT with increasing tasks, but no additional funds. Organizations appeal to ministers
Published May 5, 2025 11:45
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Trade union and employer organizations affiliated with the Trilateral Team for Health Care have appealed to the leadership of the Ministries of Health and Finance to secure stable operating conditions for the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tarification. The letter pointed out that although the scope of the tasks entrusted to the Agency is steadily increasing, this is not followed by adequate financial support or an increase in the staffing limit.
As the signatories emphasize, AOTMiT is currently carrying out a number of processes of key importance to the functioning of the health care system - including work on expanding the basket of guaranteed benefits, tariffs of benefits, international cooperation in the assessment of medical technologies, as well as the development of annual recommendations on the increase in financing of health care services in accordance with the Law on Minimum Wages for Health Care Workers.
The amendment to the Law on Health Care Services (draft UD71) additionally requires AOTMiT to evaluate consolidation plans of medical entities. There are also announcements of the introduction of strict deadlines for processing applications for changes in the basket of benefits.
Despite the growing scope of competence and increasing workload, the Agency's funding level and staffing limit have not changed significantly. Moreover, according to the information provided, the budget allowance for AOTMiT is planned to be completely eliminated in 2025. To date, the decision to increase the FTE limit has also not been made - despite ongoing inter-ministerial agreements and consultations on the draft law.
According to the authors of the appeal, such a situation threatens to undermine the Agency's ability to carry out its statutory tasks, may affect the exodus of staff and reduce the attractiveness of the institution as a place of work, and, consequently, lead to disruptions in the functioning of the entire health care system.
The document was signed by representatives of eight organizations: All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions, NSZZ Solidarność, Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs, Employers of the Republic of Poland, BCC Club - Employers' Union, Lewiatan Confederation, Polish Craft Association and the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers.
