The State System
The state healthcare system is funded in two ways - through government budgets to healthcare and through compulsory individual contributions to the state healthcare insurance scheme.

It is not possible to opt out of the scheme, despite being a low-income earner or part of a vulnerable group; their contributions are deducted from their benefits, however, the amount of each person’s contribution does vary according to income and status.

Employers must register their employees with the health insurance fund when a new employee starts work. Employees pay around 8.5 percent of gross salary to the NHF and this is deducted directly from each person’s salary. Dependant family members are covered by the contributions paid by employed family members. If you are self-employed, your contribution rate will be determined by the amount you earn, but you will have to get additional insurance to cover members of your family.

Foreigners immigrating to Poland without jobs must produce proof of private health insurance in order to obtain their residence permit.

All other groups must register themselves with their local branch of the NHF.

The state fund covers most medical services including treatment by GPs and specialists, diagnostic examinations, hospitalisation, emergency care, prescription medicine and surgical appliances, pregnancy and childbirth and rehabilitation. 

Fees
Some prescription medicine is subsidised. People still make under-the-table payments to doctors and specialists in the Polish state system in order to assure faster medical treatment.