Expert: Reduction of health contribution for companies deepen the NFZ addiction on the state budget

The reduction of the health contribution for entrepreneurs will deepen the NFZ addiction on the state budget, and health care will compete even more with other areas of the state with limited budget funds – said PAP Wojciech Wiśniewski, a health expert at the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs.

The Senate voted on Wednesday in favor of the adoption of the Act on healthcare services financed from public funds and some other acts reducing the health contribution for entrepreneurs since 2026. The amendment involves a loss of revenues from contribution to the National Health Fund in the amount of approx. PLN 4.6 billion, which the government declares coverage from the state budget.

58 senators voted in favor of receiving without amendments to the law. There were 36 against, three abstained from voting. The act will now go to the desk of President Andrzej Duda, who will have 21 days to sign it, veto or refer to the Constitutional Tribunal.

“If the law came into force, this would mean deepening the addiction of the National Health Fund on the state budget. Health protection will compete even more with other areas of the state with limited budgetary funds” – said Wojciech Wiśniewski, a health expert from the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs in an interview with PAP, representing the social side in the Tripartite Health Protection Team.

He emphasized that his independence from the state budget has been a great value of the Polish health care system over the years. Financing of treatment was based on the health premium at the National Health Fund. “Unfortunately, another decision was made,” he concluded.

Wojciech Wiśniewski pointed out that during work in the Senate on the amendment, senators representing various environments emphasized the need for a broad discussion on financing health care in the future. “And this is good news. We intend to ask senators as a social side to conduct such a debate. Such an opportunity to talk about the actual needs of the system is rare. But for now we are waiting for the president's decision,” he said.

During the debate on the reduction of the premium during the plenary meeting of the Senate, Deputy Minister of Finance Jarosław Neneman announced that the financial plan of the National Health Fund was still unable to be unforgettable by the Minister of Finance in 2025. “I can't answer why” – he admitted.

“The plaintiff is known – the National Health Fund expenses are greater than the planned revenues. And there was no reason why the finance minister does not sign the fund plan. And these reasons are getting worse. I do not see a perspective in which the Minister of Finance will sign the plan” – assessed Wiśniewski. He noted that without an additional PLN 15 billion in the second half of the year, the health care system awaits “perturbations”. “It seems that it comes to the point where you can't close your eyes and pretend that there is no problem,” he concluded.

The amendment assumes the introduction of a two -element health contribution basis for entrepreneurs – to a certain level it would be a flat -rate, and from the surplus of income – percentage. The changes apply to about 2.5 million business activity.

The new regulations do not change the amount of health contribution paid by employees full -time and it will still be 9 percent. There will also be no changes when it comes to the premium in the case of emetery benefits – it will continue to be 9 percent.

The change is to apply from the beginning of 2026 and will cost the state budget PLN 4.6 billion (as long as health revenues are to be reduced).

The Sejm was reduced to the health contribution for entrepreneurs on April 4 with the voices of KO, Poland 2050-TD and PSL-TD. Against former PiS, left and circle deputies. The confederation abstained.

They appealed to President Andrzej Duda, among others Left candidate for President Magdalena Biejat, Party candidate Adam Zandberg, OZZL Residents Agreement and the Supreme Medical Chamber. They argue that lowering the premium will worsen the situation of patients and deepen the health care crisis.

On Wednesday before noon, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that if the president vetoed changes in the health premium, he would take steps as the prime minister to return to this topic after the presidential election.

Anita Karwowska (PAP)

Akar/ Jann/ LM/