The National Health Fund has not yet provided clear information on the financing of psychiatry in 2025 – said psychiatrist dr Marek Balicki. He noticed that overall psychiatry expenses would be lower than in 2024, and the costs of piloting mental health centers were planned only for half a year.
Dr. Balicki, a former health minister, psychiatrist and member of the Mental Health Council at the Minister of Health, told PAP that in many centers there was uncertainty in many centers what would happen after June 30. Then the piloting of psychiatric environmental care carried out in mental health centers was to end. The Ministry of Health in May decided to extend the pilot until the end of the year – the Ministry of Health in this matter was transferred to consultation.
Balicki pointed out that the NFZ financial plan for 2025 is provided for only on half a year of pilot financing. He also reminded that the Minister of Finance has not approved this plan so far.
Dr Jerzy Gryglewicz, an expert of the Institute of Management in the healthcare of the Lazarski University in Warsaw, told PAP that the decision of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy to extend the pilot means that the National Health Fund must find money for its finasation for an additional six months.
“We are in financial chaos, but the MZ decision obliges the fund to find additional money,” he added.
According to the expert, the non -approval of the financial plan for 2025 by the Minister of Finance is not an obstacle.
PAP was asked on May 12 by the Ministry of Health and the National Health Fund about the sources of financing the Pilotage CZP for an additional six months. The National Health Fund informed PAP that information about the financing of piloting is in the assessment of the effects of the project regulation. MZ did not answer PAP's questions until the message.
In assessing the effects of the regulation of the prolonged project, CZD pilotage emphasized that the costs resulting from it would be covered by the National Health Fund, without the need to increase them and the need to launch a spare fund. The Ministry of Health indicated its position B2.21.1 in the NFZ financial plan for 2025, which assumes financing of piloting in mental health centers in the amount of 1 billion 284 million 684 thousand. zloty.
According to Balicki The National Health Fund has not yet provided clear information on the financing and functioning of psychiatry in 2025. He emphasized that the planned total amount of expenditure on psychiatry and piloting CZP is less than the National Health Fund expenses for these purposes in 2024, he assessed that the addition of money for pilotage in the second half of the year would not cause a noticeable change.
The data from the NFZ financial plans shows that in 2025 they will be lower by 330 million 32 thousand. PLN than in 2024 The unprofitable NFZ plan for 2025 assumes expenditure on psychiatric care and treatment of addiction in the amount of 6 billion 191 million 562 thousand. zloty. This gives together with the costs of piloting CZP 7 billion 476 million 246 thousand. zloty. On the other hand, the final financial plan of the National Health Fund in 2024 determined the costs of psychiatric care and addiction treatment at 5 billion 728 million 925 thousand. PLN, and the cost of piloting CZP at 2 billion 077 million 353 thousand PLN, which in total gives 7 billion 806 million 278 thousand. zloty.
Balicki noticed that MZ has not yet presented system solutions that would ensure the operation of the centers after the pilot.
“It's wasted a year and a half,” he said.
He emphasized that the recommendations in this matter were prepared by the Working Group of the Mental Health Congress and the Agreement for the implementation of the National Mental Health Protection Program. Balicki pointed out that they include the experience of piloting mental health centers.
Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna on May 13 at a press conference emphasized that neither MZ nor the National Health Fund think about limiting the financing of CZP. Leszczyna said that the ministry is working on a plan for the CZP after the pilot and wants to develop joint solutions with the environment and representatives of the centers by the end of the year. She emphasized that it was to develop the organizational standard of mental health centers. She added that the requirements for financing the centers will be determined. She pointed out that the Supreme Audit Office showed irregularities in spending public funds at some public health centers.
On December 5, 2024, a yellow march passed through the streets of Warsaw to defend the care model implemented in the pilot of mental health centers. Environmental fears, incl. psychiatrists, psychotherapists, recovery assistants and patients concerned the rules of financing mental health centers after piloting. Ministry of Health and the National Health Fund, among others During the meetings of the Mental Health Council at the Minister of Health, they announced changes in the CZP financing model, which is currently based on a lump sum transmitted by the National Health Fund per capita.
The pilot of mental health centers began in 2018. It is based on the concept of environmental psychiatry, i.e. the departure from hospital treatment, which is to be intended for patients in acute states. CZP focuses on the care of organized closely in the patient in smaller medical assistance centers, preventing mental crises, and when they occur – a quick reinstatement to balance.
The results of the NIK audit published in November last year showed numerous irregularities in the operation of mental health centers in the Greater Poland Voivodeship and in supervision from the National Health Fund. These were Settlement errors, staff shortages, use of direct coercion measures without the required procedures.
Katarzyna Nocuń (PAP)
KNO/ AKAR/ JOZ/ LM/
