The government did not approve the hospital reform bill on Tuesday. Officially, the reason was not given. The bill is to be taken up again by the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers.
Hospitals wait, no decision. Hospital reform on hold
Published April 9, 2025 08:57
Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna explained to reporters after Friday's vote on the bill lowering the health premium, in which she backed the government's proposal despite announcements to the contrary, that she had to be loyal to the government, as part of which she intends to carry out a comprehensive reform of the health care system, an important part of which is to be changes in hospitality. Leszczyna made no secret of her confidence that the draft, approved by the Council of Ministers' Standing Committee, would be adopted by the government on April 8.
It has not been. There have been reports that because of a "snafu" regarding changes concerning doctors from outside the European Union, specifically the possibility for them to work in the profession, and that the project is to return to the deliberations of the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers, which will once again delay the possibility of referring it to the Sejm. Leszczyna announced in the winter that she would "go with the project to the Sejm" in March - meanwhile, it is doubtful that she will be able to do so in April.
Politically, the Health Ministry can speak of a clincher. On the one hand, the draft, even in its soft version, may help hospitals (primarily county hospitals) loosen the basket loop they find themselves in, due to a package of solutions to ease staffing pressures (it's primarily about on-call staffing, but also easier billing for services performed on a same-day or outpatient basis), while on the other hand - the clock is ticking, the bill is a milestone for the KPO, and the deadline for clearing funds is still mid-2026. However, there is also a political aspect: even though the law does not provide for a simple "liquidation of delivery rooms", it does not contain harsh criteria (such as those contained in the first version of the draft), and so there are provisions in it, the result of which may be the closure of some departments, not only gynecological-obstetrical ones. It's a topic with great potential for creating a political storm literally weeks before the first round of presidential elections.
