The President's decision is not a surprise, to the contrary - it was signaled even during parliamentary work. Consultations on the issue continued until the end, as late as Monday the president discussed the law during a meeting of the Social Dialogue Council held at the Presidential Palace.
President vetoes bill lowering health premium for entrepreneurs
Published May 6, 2025 15:45
Fot: Andrzej Hrechorowicz; prezydent.pl
Information about the president's decision was released to the media by the head of the President's Office, Malgorzata Paprocka. - Health has for many years been consistently indicated in all opinion polls as one of the most important values. It is a truism to say that health care requires serious outlays," she said. The bill, she added, raises constitutional questions due to, among other things, the omission of the public consultation stage.
Numerous appeals for a veto have been made to the president since the law was passed by the Sejm - such a decision was demanded, among others, by presidential candidates from the left - Magdalena Biejat (Left) and Adrian Zandberg (Together). Trade unions asked for a halt to the unconsulted and unfair to full-time employees changes. Patients' organizations, meanwhile, raised the crowning argument of the dire financial situation of the National Health Fund, which, especially at this time, should not be deprived of certain and predictable revenues.
As for employers' organizations, there was no such unanimity anymore. On one side stood the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs, which draws attention to the deterioration of the payer's financial condition, which is disastrous for the functioning of the health care system and poses a threat also for entrepreneurs cooperating with this sector, but in the wake of this also for health care providers, and on the other side - the other organizations of entrepreneurs, which opted for the president to sign the bill, which they also expressed during Monday's meeting of the RDS. However, the president did not listen to the voice of the employers. Andrzej Duda had already made it clear that he would not sign the bill, which could have a negative impact on health care finances.
It can be expected that the ruling coalition will "not let go" and may even present a new bill before the presidential elections. However, passing the bill may not be easy at all if the NFZ's financial situation becomes more complicated in the weeks and months ahead. There are less than two months left until July 1, when hospitals will once again have to raise salaries and the NFZ will have to pay them more money as a result, and the Fund's financial plan is still not signed.
