In Brief

• The Ministry of Health has prepared a draft changing the catalog of tests funded by the National Health Fund (NFZ).
• The draft adds new procedures in areas such as oncology, celiac disease, and endocrinology, and replaces some of the existing tests.
• The planned date for implementation is January 1, 2027, but the draft is under consultation and the full list of tests has not been published.

What the draft proposes

The Ministry of Health has developed a draft regulation that changes the catalog of diagnostic tests funded by the National Health Fund. The draft proposes adding new procedures and replacing some currently performed tests with other examinations (Important change for patients. From 2027 new tests under NFZ - TVN24 – tvn24.pl) (End of these tests under NFZ. "They are no longer recommended" – rynekzdrowia.pl).

The basis for the changes will be the recommendations of the head of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System. The new regulations will cover areas such as oncology, celiac disease diagnostics, endocrinology, and the measurement of the ankle-brachial index (The Ministry of Health is preparing major changes. New tests under NFZ – stronazdrowia.pl) (End of waiting for treatment. From January 1 new tests under NFZ – portalsamorzadowy.pl). The draft also includes tests in cases of elevated prolactin and arterial disease.

According to the ministry, the implementation of the changes is expected to cost the Fund about three million zlotys per year. The Ministry explains that more modern tests are intended to reduce misdiagnoses, unnecessary tests, and unjustified treatments.

When would the changes take effect

The new rules are expected to come into effect on January 1, 2027. This is the date announced by the ministry, not a final date. The draft has been published in the Government Legislation Centre and is currently under consultation, so its final version may differ from the original.

What does this mean for patients

If the regulation comes into effect in its proposed form, selected tests will be funded within the NFZ benefit basket. The draft does not yet specify detailed conditions, such as the requirement for a referral or medical indications. A full list of tests that are to be added or withdrawn has not yet been published.

Patients who want to know whether a recommended test is reimbursed can ask their doctor or the facility about the current status of the service on the NFZ list.