Poles will spend PLN 19 billion more on private treatment in 2024 compared to 2021. In addition, the prices of private medical appointments this year are as much as 12% higher than last year. We are going to face a time of price increases and nothing indicates a change in this trend – informs the Polish Insurance Association.
Let’s start with some statistics illustrating the health insurance market in Poland. They show that Poles are increasingly interested in private health insurance. According to the Polish Insurance Association, about 3.7 million people have already decided to buy health insurance policies. At the end of Q3 2021, Poles spent over PLN 760 million on private health insurance. It is nearly 15% more than a year earlier. Poles are most interested in packages that include access to basic healthcare and several specialist doctors. The number of group policies is also growing.
“Covid has strongly influenced the awareness of Poles regarding prophylaxis and taking care of their own health. There is a greater interest in health insurance, especially in such that provides comprehensive care for the customer through i.a. free access to outpatient and hospital care”, says Kamila Patej-Sieklucka, Sales Manager at MediSky International.
Polish public healthcare is not one of the best in Europe. According to the “Polish Risk Map” report prepared by the Polish Chamber of Insurance, for 71% of Poles, one of the greatest concerns is the lack of access to medical care and specialist doctors. And the queues are not getting any shorter. The Watch Healthcare Foundation’s report “Kobieta w kolejce”, which analyses the waiting time for women’s benefits in public healthcare, shows that women have to wait on average 3.3 months to see e.g. an endocrinologist, neurologist or urogynaecologist. The waiting time for an angiologist’s consultation is over half a year, similar to a plastic surgeon in the case of e.g. breast reconstruction after mastectomy. All of this makes Poles massively look for solutions in the form of private services which, however, are becoming more and more expensive every year. Cheap medical subscriptions, most often offered as
a benefit at work, do not compensate for full care but are limited to basic services. However, according to the data of the Statistics Poland (GUS), their prices are growing dynamically. When analysing the prices of private medical services in 2021, GUS showed that they were increasing every month. For services provided by medical facilities located in smaller and large cities, the prices were as follows: January (PLN 134.66), February and March (PLN 135.55), April and May (PLN 136.19 and PLN 136.44), June and July (PLN 137.59 and PLN 137.66), August and September (over PLN 138), October and November (PLN 140).
However, this is not the end of increases, as indicated by the data from the beginning of 2022:
paediatrician – the average price is PLN 180,
dermatologist – PLN 200,
cardiologist – PLN 300.
In March this year, the prices of medical services were higher by 12.5% than a year ago, dental prices increased by 13.3% and hospital and sanatorium prices – by 11.3%. Last year’s data from PMR Private Healthcare estimated private medical expenses at almost PLN 61 billion and, according to forecasts, they are to increase to PLN 79 billion in 2024.
As pointed out by medical facilities, limited human resources are the most important reason for the increases. According to OECD, there are 2.3 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants in Poland. This is the worst result in the entire European Union. Forecasts indicate that in the next few years, the number of paediatricians, gynaecologist and dermatologist in Poland will decrease.
Can we find a way to cope with galloping inflation? Yes – by choosing reasonable, thoughtful and safe medical insurance which guarantees free access not just to one but to all medical facilities and, additionally, which is resistant to significant price increases. MediSky International has increased the prices of its services by less than 3% in the last two years. It is a phenomenon not only in Poland but also in Europe. The main factor of such an approach is that the insurance policy gives a sense of security to everyone who purchased it. MediSky guarantees access to all medical facilities and the best specialists around the world. Without queues and unnecessary formalities. It is possible to make appointments to doctors of all specialisations who are licensed to practice and issue a bill or invoice for their services. The policy includes also physiotherapists, dentists (selected packages), psychologists and psychiatrists.
My proposition: Fortunately for MediSky clients, solutions, standards and high quality of the offered services will remain at the highest level and health, as the greatest value, will be a priority not subject to inflation.
