HEALTH INSURANCE
You are required to have a health and accident insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Poland.
In Poland, you can be treated in the public health service (free of charge) or privately (then you must pay for healthcare services).
If you want to use healthcare services for free, you must be insured in the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia - NFZ).
What are the rules regarding health insurance (for the insured)?
In Poland, health insurance comes under the responsibility of the National Health Fund (NFZ). Health insurance covers health care services, such as: medical visits, treatments and hospital stays, reimbursement of prescriptions and certain medicines.
If a person (including a foreigner) is not insured with the National Health Fund, he / she can use healthcare, but only for a fee - buying an insurance policy with a private company, which pays for the healthcare. Depending on the type of insurance policy chosen, people with insurance may be exempted from paying for services or may apply for reimbursement (on their return to their own country). In many private medical facilities, you can buy the so-called subscription, i.e., a specific amount is paid to the facility every month for which a package of specific medical services is paid. Prices vary depending on the facility as well as the services that can be purchased. Detailed information is available from the individual private insurance companies.
Students from EU/EEA
Students from EU/EEA staying in Poland temporarily are entitled to free health care on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) (https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559), if they have valid medical insurance from their home country's national insurance system. The EHIC gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 27 EU countries.
You obtain a card before the arrival in Poland by contacting your health insurance institution, which is responsible for assuming your healthcare costs.
Applying for a card:
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=563&langId=en#nationalinfo
Using the European Health Insurance Card, the student can benefit from free health services at health care providers who have concluded a relevant contract with the National Health Fund (NFZ – Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia). Students can also purchase a private health insurance.
Students from NON-EU countries
If possible, students from non-EU/EEA countries should buy their own international medical insurance before arriving in Poland. Otherwise, they must sign-up for voluntary health insurance from the NFZ (National Health Fund) and pay monthly contribution to the NFZ - around EUR 15 per month (the leaflet available here). Under this insurance plan, students are then entitled to health care services provided by medical facilities (clinics, hospitals) or doctors who have concluded contracts with the National Health Fund.
The period of insurance should cover the entire period of study. If you do not have proof of insurance, you are obliged to pay the costs of medical services.
Voluntary Health Insurance:
https://www.nfz-lublin.pl/voluntary_health_insurance
More information about health service in Poland can be found under the following links: https://www.nfz.gov.pl/ - in Polish
https://www.migrant.info.pl/Health_insurance_and_medical_care.html
NFZ:
Szkolna 16
20-124 Lublin
tel.: 800 190 590
website: nfz-lublin.pl , https://www.nfz-lublin.pl/telefoniczna_informacja_pacjenta
e-mail: info@nfz-lublin.pl
