And after the meeting. NFZ gets less than announced

This year's gap in the payer's budget is estimated by the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service at PLN 14 billion - of which the state budget has already filled in several billion (about PLN 5 billion). However, instead of the expected 7-9 billion missing, the government wants to transfer PLN 3.5 billion to the payer. What will be the consequences for hospitals? Some may continue treating patients (performing non-limited services, including drug programs and chemotherapy), hoping for a quick settlement at the beginning of 2026 - then the NFZ will enter the next year with a several-billion-dollar "hump" of unpaid from this year's budget, but performed services. Meanwhile, as of today, the estimated gap in the Fund's budget for next year is expected to be PLN 23 billion.

There is also a second option: hospitals will postpone operations, tests, the start of treatment in drug programs. Then the "hump" will burden patients (health-wise) and the system (queues). In recent days, the UCK WUM has officially announced restrictions on admissions and treatment of patients, justifying the decision by the lack of payment from the National Health Fund for surplus unlimited services - but there are more examples from all over Poland. Some directors emphasize that for the time being the decision on restrictions has not been made, but this could change at any time.

It is worth recalling that the Health Ministry had signaled for several days that the conversation would be about subsidies of about PLN 4 billion. Asked by journalists on Thursday whether this amount would be sufficient, NFZ President Filip Nowak evaded answering, stressing that he was not familiar with Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda's statement, so it is difficult for him to comment on it.