NFZ with a loss of PLN 7.7 billion in 2024. What has burdened the budget?

NFZ Vice President Jakub Szulc stressed that the NFZ's loss was PLN 1.7 billion lower than planned, it was also lower than the one the payer recorded in 2023 - while consuming the lion's share of the reserve fund, practically zeroed out at the moment. The value of realized total costs amounted to PLN 190.7 billion, more than PLN 26 billion higher than those incurred in 2023. 

94.56 percent of the costs incurred last year were the costs of health care services, the costs of emergency medical services - 2.26 percent (financed from the state budget until the end of 2022). The Fund's administrative costs consumed less than 0.7 percent of the payer's budget - and during the discussion at the Health Committee meeting, many deputies even expressed concern about the very low and declining percentage allocated to the operation and salaries of the institution's employees.

Looking at the cost of services, the highest share was in hospital treatment (51.58 percent), primary care (11.15 percent), and AOS (9.74 percent).

In 2024, there was an increase in the planned outlays of the National Health Fund for over-limit services. They amounted to PLN 6.3 billion, while in 2023 it was more than PLN 2.2 billion, and in 2022. - PLN 760 million. The cost of free medicines for children and seniors 65+ also rose - and sharply - to more than PLN 3 billion, from a planned PLN 1 billion. Such a large jump was due to the inclusion of the child and adolescent population in this program and, most importantly, the lowering of the age limit for seniors from 75 to 65. Opposition MPs and experts pointed out that another jump can be expected in the current year's report after the current coalition gave the possibility to issue prescriptions for this category also in offices without a contract with the National Health Fund.

As for revenues, the majority (86.74 percent) were from health premiums. They totaled more than PLN 158 billion and were lower than planned by more than PLN 860 million. The lower premium revenue was due to, among other things, the settlement of premiums for 2023 according to the principles of the Polish Deal for self-employed persons.

Only the Health Committee discussed the report. The Public Finance Committee took a few minutes to listen to a short speech by Fund Vice President Jakub Szulc and Deputy Health Minister Tomasz Maciejewski and give a positive opinion. The Health Committee devoted much more time to the documents, inquiring - among other things - about issues related to the Medical Fund and the possibility of covering the financing of new drug therapies (e.g., DMD therapy, deputies cited numerous collections for boys waiting for treatment).