The Constitution guarantees the right to health care, but you may not always be entitled to free, or publicly funded, health care services.

Basic legal acts:

• Act of 27 August 2004 on health care services financed from public funds (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 1938, as amended); [Ustawa z dnia 27 sierpnia 2004 r. o świadczeniach opieki zdrowotnej finansowanych ze środków publicznych (Dz. U. z 2017 r. poz. 1938, z późn. zm.);]
• Ordinance of the Minister of Health of 10 March 2015 on specimens of declarations of a beneficiary's right to health care services (Journal of Laws, item 438); [Rozporządzenie Ministra Zdrowia z dnia 10 marca 2015 r. w sprawie wzorów oświadczeń o przysługującym świadczeniobiorcy prawie do świadczeń opieki zdrowotnej (Dz. U. poz. 438);]

A person whose stay in Poland is legal and who is not covered by compulsory health insurance may take out voluntary insurance. In order to do so, he/she should submit an appropriate application to the NFZ (National Health Found - Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) at the regional branch of the NFZ responsible for the place of residence.

The application form is available in the offices of branches and on the websites of NFZ units.

Contact details of NFZ units are available at https://www.nfz.gov.pl

According to social security regulations (except in special situations), insured persons who work in Poland are subject to Polish legislation. Therefore, such persons are obligatorily subject to social insurance pursuant to the Act on Social Insurance System.

Foreigners who are not citizens of the European Union should present their passport and one of the following documents when applying for voluntary health insurance:
• visa for the purpose of work;
• residence permit for a definite period of time
• settlement permit
• a residence permit
• permit for tolerated stay

a document confirming the refugee status granted in Poland or temporary protection on its territory. After concluding an agreement with the NFZ one should go to the branch or inspectorate of the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) where one should submit a ZUS ZZA form.

You can print it out and bring it in person or mail it to the Social Security (ZUS) branch or inspectorate in your district.

Persons who have insured themselves voluntarily are obliged to register their family members, if they are not covered by the obligatory insurance on another legal ground. The same family members can be covered as in the case of obligatory insurance: children, spouse, as well as parents and grandparents, if they remain in a common household with the insured.

In order to register your family members for insurance, you will submit a ZUS ZCNA form to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). You can take it in person or send it by mail.

Contributions are paid into a ZUS account - detailed information can be obtained from a ZUS office.

Information about the amount of contributions for health insurance can be obtained at a branch of the NFZ or on the NFZ website.

Students who are not of Polish origin and who are not citizens of a European Union member state or of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (EFTA member states) - may individually conclude a voluntary agreement with the NFZ to use health services and pay contributions on their own. In order to conclude such a contract, it is necessary to get a certificate from the school that they are studying in.

A foreigner may also voluntarily take out insurance with another insurance company, e.g. Powszechny Zakład Ubezpieczeń (PZU) offers Wojażer insurance for foreigners coming to Poland for vacation, study or work.