KO MP Skips Two-Year Hospital Waitlist for Medical Exam

Civic Coalition MP Małgorzata Pępek received a specialized medical examination at the Żywiec hospital after a three-week wait, bypassing the standard 23-month queue without medical justification.

Queue Jumping and Hospital Intervention

Małgorzata Pępek underwent a specialized examination on February 22, 2025, having registered only three weeks prior. While the average wait time for this procedure is over 23 months, the MP was able to jump ahead of other patients who had been waiting significantly longer, despite no medical indication for an urgent appointment.

The hospital’s internal control procedures identified the irregularity, leading the facility to refuse to bill the National Health Fund (NFZ) for the procedure. Management sent an official letter to the MP’s office, stating that under the principle of equal access to healthcare, patients must be treated according to their place in the queue unless a physician determines an urgent medical necessity, which was not the case here.

Justifications and Political Friction

Pępek admitted that she was registered by a hospital employee linked to the Civic Coalition, describing it as a favor because she lacked the time to register personally. After being notified by the hospital that she had bypassed the queue, the MP reportedly ignored the warning, asserting that she was entitled to the service because she pays health insurance premiums.

Reports suggest that after the hospital challenged her actions, Pępek began sending a series of inquiries to the facility. While the MP claims she has always maintained an interest in the hospital’s operations, her stance toward the administration shifted significantly from previous praise and advocacy for additional funding to later accusations of poor management.