Left: 9% of GDP for health

On Thursday, in the Sejm, current questions to the government were addressed by MP Joanna Wicha, who outlined in a framework the solutions contained in the Left's project (replacing the health premium with a health tax that would also cover CIT payers, thanks to which the lion's share of the insured would even pay a premium at a lower rate than at present, introducing a so-called "fat tax" and transferring 80 percent of excise tax revenues to the NFZ) on Friday, during a meeting of the Supreme Medical Council, this program was presented in more detail by Senator Wojciech Konieczny.

- At the Ministry, I was responsible for the budget and health care finances. In addition to current affairs, my team and I tried to answer a fundamental question: is Poland really doomed to a permanent shortage of funds for health care? Are we really enough for about 6 percent of GDP, while the EU average is approaching 10 percent? - he said, admitting that, as deputy head of the Health Ministry, he had already seen that the situation was a curiosity during the discussions on lowering the health contribution. - There were declarations that the missing funds would be made up, although it was clear that realistically there was no coverage. I also spoke to the Finance Minister about this, pointing out that we have to get used to high expenses on salaries, because there is a shortage of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists in Poland, and the medical staff is aging. These costs can no longer be lowered or frozen," he said, referring to the health ministry's plans relating to the minimum wage law.

The squaring of the circle (the health premium cannot be lowered, but neither can it be raised) would be broken by a complete change in the financing system, abolishing the premium with all its privileges and exclusions and replacing it with a universal health tax. - The health tax, developed jointly with the Polish Economic Network on the basis of reliable data, would be equal and universal - independent of form of employment or occupational status. It would amount to 12 percent with a full deduction of the tax-free amount. In practice, this means that for most citizens the burden would be no higher than it is now, although about 10 percent of top earners would pay more. This is the only way we can get to 9 percent of GDP for health by 2030 and ensure stable, predictable financing of the system.

But that's not all: a portion of CIT would also be allocated to health care. Specifically, companies that make profits in Poland but do not pay taxes here would be burdened. Another element would be a tax on highly processed food and the transfer of 80 percent of excise tax revenues to the NFZ.

Konieczny also stressed that he disagrees with the thesis that money is wasted in the Polish health care system. With a funding level of about 6 percent of GDP, the system operates extremely efficiently. If health systems in Western European countries received such funding, they would be paralyzed in a very short time. The problem is not waste, but chronic underfunding.

Wicha also spoke about chronic underfunding, which has been going on for decades, at the Sejm, asking the health ministry about its assessment of the Left's proposals, and whether ministerial proposals to increase health spending are being worked on. Wicha also announced that the club is holding a meeting on the issue on January 7, and government representatives are also invited to attend. Last week, the Finance Minister expressed skepticism about the feasibility of proposals to replace the health contribution with a tax.