Changes to the hospital network, shifting sickness-insurance contributions from ZUS to the NFZ, and introducing mandatory contributions for judges and uniformed services – these are some of the ideas behind a healthcare reform currently being developed by politicians from the PSL, whose polling numbers have been falling. On Thursday, these proposals were presented, among others, to the Minister of Health. And the first disputes have already emerged, including the question of who is supposed to “put their name” on this project.
The assumptions behind the project were presented today to the head of the Ministry of Health, Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda. The plan is also known to Maciej Berek, the minister overseeing the implementation of government policy.
Although the PSL is part of the governing coalition, it is still unclear whether the project will be submitted as a government bill.
“I was asked who is supposed to put their name on this project. So I said that if the government does not have the courage, then I (…) am ready to take responsibility myself and push the project through via our parliamentary caucus, and submit it to the Sejm as an MPs’ initiative,” said MP Marek Sawicki.
The PSL’s ideas: transporting patients and imposing contributions on uniformed services?
What would the reform look like? The PSL MP stressed that in each region the hospital network may be organised differently, depending, for example, on population density. According to Sawicki, in areas where maintaining certain hospital wards is not financially viable, patients should be guaranteed transport to facilities that have the appropriate specialists.
A significant portion of the project concerns insurance contributions. Its authors propose, among other things, that sickness-insurance contributions be moved from ZUS to the NFZ. Introducing mandatory health contributions for uniformed services and judges is expected to generate an additional several billion złoty annually. And what about farmers? “If there is agreement for us to include all uniformed services and judges in the system, then of course we will also need to discuss farmers,” Sawicki said.
MP Marek Sawicki added that he intends to present the healthcare reform proposal at the PSL National Council meeting on Saturday. If he receives the green light, the bill should be submitted to the Sejm as early as January.