The Polish Ministry of Health is facing a financial dilemma regarding the treatment of children as it seeks additional funding to cover the costs. The issue stems from excess services, known as nadwykonań, which are provided beyond contracted limits. In the first half of this year, the cost of such services for pediatric care amounted to 1.4 billion złoty, while the current limit from the Medical Fund stands at only 840 million złoty.
To address this deficit, the ministry has approached Professor Piotr Czauderna, the head of the Medical Fund Council, requesting an increase in the budget allocated to the National Health Fund (NFZ) for children’s treatment. A similar approach was taken last year when an additional 3.6 billion złoty was allocated to cover similar excesses for children and adolescents.
According to reports, the NFZ is grappling with a broader financial shortfall estimated at around 14 billion złoty. This figure was already projected to reach approximately 12 billion złoty during the budget planning for 2027. The costs associated with treating young patients have surged significantly, with expenditures for pediatric and adolescent care rising by 8.7 billion złoty, or about 80 percent, between 2022 and 2025. Additionally, the number of services rendered increased by 22.5 percent during the same period, although hospital services saw only a 1.5 percent rise.
NFZ attributes the increased costs to more expensive and complex medical procedures, as well as the growing adoption of advanced medical technologies. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of services related to child psychiatry and addiction treatment, with 767,000 more services provided in 2024 compared to the previous year.
