At the end of 2021, more than 3.8 million Poles purchased health insurance. This represents a year-on-year increase of 17 per cent. We spent more than PLN 1 billion on private policies, nearly 15 per cent more than the year before. These results reflect Poles’ concerns about limited access to medical care.
RETURN TO STATIONARY VISITS
In Q4 2021, we have seen a return of patients to medical facilities, significantly straining the capacity of the public healthcare system. The ‘Map of Poles’ risk’ report, compiled by the Polish Chamber of Insurance, shows that one of the most common fears of respondents is lack of access to medical care and specialist doctors. As many as 71 per cent of respondents admitted to this fear. To avoid long waits for appointments, patients increasingly used private healthcare services, largely paying for the visit or procedure out of their own pockets. According to a report by PMR Private Healthcare, by 2024 spending on private treatment will amount to PLN 79 billion.
“The pandemic, which has lasted more than two years, is testing the limits of the public health system’s capacity. One of its challenges is limited access to specialist doctors and medical treatments. The private sector is trying to fill this gap. In addition, we continue to see a worsening health debt and rising medical inflation, which far exceeds core inflation,” concludes Dorota M. Fal, advisor to the management board of the Polish Chamber of Insurance. “However, the health insurance market is responding to the current demand of society. Since the onset of the pandemic, insurers’ offerings have matched patients’ expectations especially in terms of preventive care and psychological care, complementary insurance has emerged and, in 2022, the range of medical policies has expanded to include full-scope hospital insurance,” adds Dorota M. Fal.
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF PREVENTION
The pandemic has reinforced the role of prevention in Poles’ thinking about health. By keeping a social distance and adhering to the sanitary regime, including wearing masks and washing and disinfecting hands more often, the number of cases of rotavirus, hepatitis A, influenza or parainfluenza has decreased. According to the National Institute of Public Health, from the start of the pandemic to the end of Q4 2021, the number of flu cases fell by 60,000. “The trend of promoting prevention is being joined by employers who appreciate its role in keeping employees healthy. Therefore, medical insurance is increasingly being combined with the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, offering customers access to fitness classes or the use of sports facilities,” comments Dorota M. Fal.
