The doctor is holding away one apple a day... And, though Poland is renowned for its tasty apples, it may need a little more to take care of your wellbeing. Luckily, a decent quality of medical treatment is based on the Polish health care infrastructure. How do you use them for health preservation, cancer protection and multiple diseases?

The constitution guarantees health coverage and the Polish Ministry of Health supervise all medical practises and public health insurance is common in the region. The NFZ is responsible for the management of the insurance system provided publicly by the National Health Fund (Polish: Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia; NFZ). The growth of private health care coverage is growing. What one is best suited to foreigners?

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Plans for public health services

Individuals entitled to general insurance and healthcare services paid for with public funds are specified by the legislation passed on August 27, 2004, on healthcare services paid for with public funds. In NFZ, anyone who contributes to the Social Security Institution (ZUS) receives health insurance. Your employer is required to pay your share whether you are working under a normal work contract or a civil law contract (Polish: umowa zlecenie). Employers must submit their newly hired workers to the Social Insurance Institution by completing the ‘ZUS ZUA' application form.

If licenced, any time you attend a hospital or clinic, you must display some kind of identification (personal ID, passport, or student ID) so that the staff can verify your status in the system. Foreigners visiting Poland with their families have the option of including relatives in their healthcare scheme. This extends to children (until they reach the age of 18; or 26 if they seek further education), spouses, and parents or grandparents (if they reside in the same household).

If you are unemployed or a worker, you may also access the state-run NFZ healthcare system. You must submit a formal document as well as your ID or proof of student status. This is a paying service (approximately PLN 50/month if you are a student), but it provides extensive access to various public facilities in Poland.

If you need medical attention, you can go to one of the following facilities:

• a hospital;
• a clinic (or health centre) that offers critical and advanced healthcare;
• an emergency – which provides help in the event of an accident, disability, abortion, sickness, health decline, or a danger to life. In the event of an emergency, call the universal European number 112 or the Polish emergency telephone number 999;
• a medical testing laboratory.

Often access to public health expert services is given by a doctor's recommendation. There is no requirement for a prescription to see a gynaecologist, obstetrician, surgeon, venereologist, psychiatrist, or oncologist. A prescription is a written instruction - a confidential form filled out by a GP - to perform laboratory examinations, meet with a medical practitioner, receive hospital care, specialist clinic treatment, sanatorium treatment, or recovery. Private health care clinics, which are discussed more below, do not require referrals.

Private medical insurance

In Poland, voluntary or private health insurance is a form of insurance that provides free (or partly reimbursed by the insurance company) access to specific care institutions and medical services based on the insurance plan. This type of medical subscription is very common, especially among foreigners. Under these subscriptions, insurers create an offer in partnership with private institutions that provide medical services.

Mostly, it is the boss that can supply you with a medical plan focused on private healthcare providers. It is a common perk in many businesses, and it can also encourage you to protect family members once you cover any additional costs. While it can cost more money, many Poles prefer this alternative because it provides more convenience and decreases waiting times for appointments. From the standpoint of a foreigner, it could be preferable to provide a healthcare package from a private medical facility, since their nurses and physicians are normally willing to offer treatment in English. Foreigners may still face language barriers in standard state-run hospitals and clinics, especially outside major cities, though the situation is gradually improving.

A quick trip to Poland?

If you are a resident of the European Union or the European Free Trade Association, you can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) on the territories of the 28 European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. This card entitles you to use healthcare facilities in Poland (at the same cost as covered citizens) during your temporary stay.