Polish President Andrzej Duda has vetoed a recently passed bill that aimed to reduce health insurance contributions for selected groups of entrepreneurs. The legislation, approved by Parliament in April, would have resulted in a roughly PLN 4.6 billion shortfall in contributions to the National Health Fund (NFZ). The Ministry of Finance had pledged to cover the gap using state budget funds.
Today, President Duda announced his decision to reject the bill.
Małgorzata Paprocka, head of the President’s Chancellery, told the media that three key issues led to the veto.
“This legislation was pushed through without public consultation. Once again, the President has stepped in where the government fell short, advocating for social dialogue. It’s now too late to amend the bill, but consensus should have been built during the legislative process,” she said, citing a recent meeting between President Duda and the Social Dialogue Council.
She also pointed to constitutional principles governing public levies. “This is about fairness, equality, and universality — and the bill raises very serious concerns in all these areas,” Paprocka added.
Another major factor was the projected increase in the funding gap at the NFZ by approximately PLN 5 billion.
“It’s no secret that our population is aging. Given our demographic trends, we should be increasing, not reducing, healthcare spending. This bill is a step in the wrong direction,” Paprocka concluded.