Polish hospitals delay surgeries to 2025 due to uncertainty about payments from the National Health Fund for 2024 procedures.
Polish hospitals are delaying planned surgeries to 2025, fearing the National Health Fund (NFZ) won’t cover 2024’s additional treatments, “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” reports.
Concerns Over Unpaid Procedures
While NFZ has paid for excess treatments through the second quarter of 2024, hospitals are worried about compensation for the third quarter. This concern affects both unlimited procedures, like joint replacements and cataract surgeries, and limited ones, leading to the postponement of many scheduled treatments.
Delays Impact Financial Stability
In the past, hospitals received payments for extra procedures on time, but NFZ’s current financial difficulties have caused significant delays. Many hospitals only recently received funds for procedures performed in the second quarter, shaking their financial stability. Some hospital directors fear that payments for third-quarter procedures may not arrive until early 2025, further complicating their operations. The Deputy Health Minister, Marek Kos, acknowledged potential payment delays into December.