Polish health care regulations for Ukrainian patients will change March 5, 2026, eliminating special declaration forms.
New Health Care Framework for Ukrainians
Poland is implementing significant changes to health care access for Ukrainian citizens, effective March 5, 2026. These changes stem from a new law passed on January 23, 2026, which phases out previous regulations established under the Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens due to the armed conflict.
The new regulation eliminates the possibility of submitting declarations regarding entitlement to health benefits financed from public funds. This necessitates an amendment to the Health Ministry’s regulation from March 4, 2021, concerning declaration forms for health benefit entitlements.
Removal of Ukrainian-Specific Forms
The main proposed change involves completely removing from legal circulation declaration forms previously dedicated to Ukrainian citizens. These forms, included in Annexes 3 and 4 of the current regulation, were introduced under the special Ukrainian law of March 2022.
The Ministry determined that maintaining these specific forms is no longer justified given the evolving legal framework for war refugee assistance. This change is not merely formal but reflects the redefinition of this group’s legal status.
Transition to General Protection Law
Under the new legislative approach, the situation of Ukrainian citizens in Poland is now governed by the general Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners on the Territory of the Republic of Poland. Although Ukrainian citizens who meet the criteria for temporary protection retain their right to public health care benefits, the method of verifying this entitlement is changing.
Impact on Health Care Verification
The new legal framework, specifically Article 112c of the temporary protection law, intentionally does not provide for confirming treatment rights through written declarations. This means individuals covered by these provisions will need to use other legally prescribed methods to document their status.
The Health Ministry argues that since the legislature has eliminated the possibility of submitting declarations in this area, maintaining dedicated forms in executive regulations has become pointless. This information is significant for both patients and administrative staff in clinics and hospitals who will need to adapt their procedures to new legal requirements.
Legal Consistency and Business Impact
The new solution aims to ensure legal system consistency and avoid legislative gaps where patients might attempt to submit declarations no longer supported by law. The Ministry emphasizes that the project requires no alternative steps as it is the only way to align executive regulations with higher legal acts.
The proposed regulation will not directly impact micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The changes do not modify conditions for conducting business activities or impose additional bureaucratic burdens on doctors in private practices beyond the need to stop accepting certain declaration forms.
