President Karol Nawrocki signed the measure into effect after it cleared both houses of parliament, state news agency PAP reported on Friday.
Under the law, the National Health Fund (NFZ), which finances Poland’s healthcare system, will receive an additional PLN 3.6 billion (about EUR 850 million, USD 975 million) this year from the Medical Fund, a financing mechanism created in 2020 to support areas such as cancer care and treatment for rare diseases.
Health Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda said last month the extra money should be enough to cover the NFZ’s needs for 2025.
"The PLN 3.6 billion should meet the needs for this year," she told reporters after meeting with the Supreme Medical Council, which represents doctors.
The government fast-tracked the measure amid growing financial strain on the public health system.
Hospitals in various parts of the country have reported putting off procedures and limiting treatment programmes citing delays in NFZ payments.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday rejected opposition claims that the healthcare system was collapsing, saying government spending on health services continued to rise each year.
Seven in 10 Poles view the country’s public healthcare system negatively, according to a survey earlier this year by researcher CBOS.
Respondents cited poor access to specialists, hospital staff shortages, difficulty scheduling timely appointments and limited availability of diagnostic tests.
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Source: IAR, PAP