In Poland, starting March 5, the rules for free medical care for Ukrainians under temporary protection are changing

Starting March 5, changes will take effect in Poland regarding access to free medical care for Ukrainian citizens who arrived because of the war and do not pay ZUS (Social Insurance Institution contributions).

The changes follow a law repealing the so-called “special law”, signed by Nawrocki on February 19. The right to free treatment will be retained only for certain preferential categories of Ukrainian citizens.

After February 24, 2022, Poland granted Ukrainians the right to legal stay and access to the public healthcare system even without Polish health insurance. However, in recent months these benefits have been gradually reduced.

As early as September 30, 2025, adult Ukrainians without health insurance lost the right to reimbursement for medicines and dental treatment. At the same time, basic medical care, specialist consultations, and inpatient hospital treatment remained available to them.

Now the rules are changing. From March 5, free treatment will be available only to adult Ukrainian citizens with UKR status who are victims of torture or rape, as well as to children and teenagers, pregnant women and women in the postpartum period. The benefit will also remain for those who have a certificate confirming residence in a collective accommodation center, as well as for those wounded or otherwise harmed as a result of the war.

At the same time, even for these preferential categories, some services will be excluded—for example, infertility treatment and cataract removal surgery.

The NFZ (National Health Fund) reminded people that full access to the entire range of medical services is possible only with mandatory health insurance (which arises automatically when employed or running a business) or voluntary health insurance (an individual contract with the NFZ, allowing access to public healthcare for those who have no other basis for insurance).

As before, the condition for receiving free assistance remains having a PESEL number and UKR status confirming legal stay, according to rynekzdrowia.pl.

According to Poland’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of the Interior, from 2022 to 2024 Ukrainian citizens paid more into the system than the cost of their treatment. Over three years, the NFZ received more than 9 billion zlotys in insurance contributions, while the cost of services provided amounted to about 2.1 billion zlotys.

In 2025, spending on the treatment of Ukrainians totaled about 723 million zlotys, which is less than the year before.

In the first year after the war began, almost 652,000 Ukrainian citizens used Poland’s healthcare system; in 2023—more than 802,000; and in 2024—over 523,000 people. Most patients sought primary care, reimbursed medicines, and dental services.

According to Poland’s Interior Ministry, around 1.6 million people found refuge in Poland—mostly women and children.