In brief

• The Ministry of Health plans to have the NFZ (National Health Fund) reimburse two blood tests for detecting coeliac disease from 1 January 2027.
• In Poland, diagnosing coeliac disease took on average nine years in adults and just over three years in children.
• Privately, a single test costs up to PLN 140.

What is set to change

From the beginning of 2027, the health ministry plans to cover two blood tests used to detect coeliac disease with NFZ reimbursement. The tests would be available in specialist outpatient clinics and allow the disease to be recognised more quickly in people whose symptoms persist for months without a clear cause. (Dwa nowe badania krwi na NFZ? Ministerstwo wskazało 1 stycznia 2027 r. – GazetaPrawna.pl) (Od 1 stycznia 2027 r. nowe badania na NFZ. Skorzystają osoby na diecie bezglutenowej – portalsamorzadowy.pl)

What coeliac disease is

Coeliac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease. In it, the immune system reacts to gluten, which can damage the mucous membrane of the small intestine. Patients often complain of recurring bloating and diarrhoea, and in some cases iron deficiency is detected that cannot be explained otherwise.

Diagnosis takes years

Reimbursed tests could shorten this path. Some patients currently pay for them out of their own pocket.

What the tests cost today

In the price lists checked, a single test costs up to PLN 140. After the change, a patient using a specialist outpatient clinic will not pay for them, provided a doctor orders them.

Who it concerns

The change will cover people with symptoms suggesting coeliac disease and patients on a gluten-free diet who want to check whether the disease is present. The details of who qualifies for the test will be set out in the draft regulation.