Medical care according to new requirements: conditions for Ukrainians with UKR status are changing in Poland
The stay of Ukrainian citizens in Poland since the beginning of the full-scale war has been regulated by special decisions that opened access to a wide range of social guarantees, including the healthcare system, however, the subsequent steps of the Polish government indicate a gradual revision of these approaches, taking into account the long-term burden on state institutions. The published changes primarily concern the right to free medical care for citizens of Ukraine with UKR status and define clear frameworks within which such a right will be maintained or terminated.
What changes after March 5, 2026
The decision, which will enter into force on March 5, 2026, means the end of the previous order, which guaranteed most Ukrainians free access to medical services within the Polish healthcare system. According to «in Poland», from now on the basic principle will be mandatory participation in the health insurance system — mandatory or voluntary — without which it will be impossible to receive primary care, specialist consultations, or hospital treatment.
With the entry into force of the new norms, the automatic right to free treatment, which was in force in accordance with a special law adopted after the start of the full-scale invasion, is canceled. If previously access to medical services was provided regardless of the payment of insurance premiums, in the future most Ukrainians will have to confirm the availability of appropriate insurance, which provides for regular payments to the health care system.
The changes concern both outpatient care and inpatient treatment, as well as consultations with doctors of narrow specialties. Thus, the support model, which was built on the principle of emergency solidarity during the crisis period, is giving way to an approach that integrates Ukrainian citizens into the general rules of the functioning of the Polish medical system.
Who retains the right to free medicine
At the same time, the Polish authorities have determined a list of categories for which access to medical services will remain free of charge without the need to fulfill additional insurance conditions. This list includes children and adolescents, pregnant women and women in the postpartum period, adults who have suffered from torture or rape, as well as those who have an official certificate of residence in collective accommodation facilities.
Such an approach demonstrates the desire to maintain support for the most vulnerable groups, while limiting the total amount of benefits for other categories of citizens. In fact, it is a transition from a universal access model to a targeted one, within which free assistance is linked to specific social or humanitarian grounds.
Reduction of the list of procedures and explanation of the authorities
In addition to changing the principle of access to the system, a revision of the list of procedures financed free of charge for Ukrainians is also provided. Infertility treatment and cataract surgery will be excluded from this list, which means a narrowing of the scope of medical services previously covered by the state for persons with UKR status.
The National Health Fund of Poland — Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia — explains such decisions by the need to stabilize the system and ensure equal conditions for all taxpayers. Representatives of the fund emphasize that the full range of medical services requires an appropriate form of insurance, and regulating the burden on the healthcare infrastructure is part of long-term financial balance.
Previous stages of restrictions and completion of the transition period
The announced changes were not a sudden step, as they were preceded by other decisions that gradually narrowed the scope of benefits. As early as September 30, 2025, adult Ukrainians without health insurance lost the right to reimbursement of medical expenses and free dental treatment, which was the first signal of the transition to a new regulatory model.
Despite this, until March 2026 they retained basic access to outpatient and inpatient care, which served as a transitional guarantee. From March 5, this norm will cease to apply, completing the stage of gradual reduction of broad medical benefits for most Ukrainians.
The outlined innovations fit into the broader policy of the Polish government to revise special legislation adopted to support Ukrainian citizens. It was previously reported that a draft law was being developed that provides for the gradual abolition of key provisions of the special law on assistance to Ukrainians, which indicates the intention to bring the conditions of their stay in line with the standard norms of national law.
Thus, changes in access to free medicine are part of a complex process within which Poland is moving from an emergency support regime to a system based on general principles of insurance and financial responsibility. For Ukrainians with UKR status, this means the need to take into account the new requirements and take care of the appropriate form of health insurance in advance if they plan to continue to use the full range of services of the Polish healthcare system.
