An important change in prescriptions will be a big help for patients. It's about free medicines

A few months ago, President Andrzej Duda signed an act expanding the group of people who are entitled to free medicines. The changes entered into force on September 1, 2023. This right was granted to children and adolescents up to 18 years of age and seniors after the age of 65 (previously it applied to people over 75 years of age). Currently, however, not every doctor can write a prescription for such free drugs, which is certainly a significant inconvenience for some patients. Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna recently announced an important change in this matter.

Changes in prescriptions for free medicines for children and seniors

Currently, if a doctor issues a prescription for such reimbursed medicines for children or seniors and does not have a signed contract with the National Health Fund, it must be confirmed by the entity that has such a contract. As the Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna announced during the Thursday press conference (March 14, 2024), doctors will soon no longer need a contract with the National Health Fund to write this type of prescriptions.

Of course, we will move away from this, because it is the patient who is insured, and the doctor, whether he is private or public, actually does not matter. We will certainly introduce such a change and we will do it soon, announced the head of the Ministry of Health.

The Minister of Health was also asked whether hospice doctors would be able to write this type of prescriptions. Izabela Leszczyna replied that she had asked the drug policy department and the medical department of the Ministry of Health for cooperation in this regard. “I think we will be ready for it soon,” concluded the head of the Ministry of Health, assuring that it will be possible in the coming weeks.

Who can currently write a prescription for free medicines?

Currently, such a prescription for free medicines for children and seniors can be written by:

• a primary health care physician (POZ) who has a contract with the National Health Fund,

• a doctor of outpatient specialist care (AOS) or a doctor after completing hospital treatment – after meeting additional conditions,

• a primary health care nurse authorized to issue prescriptions who has an agreement with the National Health Fund,

• a doctor of any specialty (who has the right to practice the profession but has ceased to practice it) – for himself or herself or for a spouse, a person in cohabitation and relatives or in-laws in the direct line, and in the collateral line – to the degree of relationship between the children of siblings.

How to check which medicines are free?

Free medicines are available to all people who are over 65 years of age or under 18 years of age and have a diagnosed disease that is consistent with the scope of indications covered by the reimbursement. Medicines that are eligible for persons under 18 years of age or over 65 years of age must be included in the “D1” or “D2” list of reimbursed medicines, foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses and medical devices in an annex to the announcement of the Minister of Health. You can find such a list of medications on your Online Patient Account or in the MojeIKP application. You can also check the current list of medicines available free of charge on the website of the Ministry of Health.