If your he alth condition requires it, you are en titled to treatment in a spa. Think about it in advance, because the formalities related to a trip to a sanatorium take a long time.
You have to wait an average of 16 months for a trip tosanatorium , but in some provinces even 2 years. Most likely, the queue will shorten soon, because the ministry intends to change the regulations - it will be possible to go to the sanatorium not - as now - every 12 months, but less frequently, because every year and a half. By the way, the size of the intervals between successive stays and the period of validity of the referral will be equal. There are 44he alth resorts in Poland .
Referral to the sanatorium
Referral forspa treatmentis issued by a he alth insurance doctor (primary care, specialist, hospital doctor), taking into account the patient's current he alth condition or existing contraindications and the impact of the spa treatment for his he alth.
The doctor or the patient himself sends a referral or delivers it personally to the provincial branch of the National He alth Fund - in a sealed envelope with the inscription "referral for spa treatment". But this does not guarantee the trip.
The expediency of the trip is assessed by a specialist in the field of balneoclimatology and physical medicine or medical rehabilitation employed in the fund's branch. It is he who indicates the type and place of treatment. If he finds that there are contraindications or there is no need for spa treatment, he rejects the referral. The form is returned to the doctor who issued it. The patient receives information about the refusal in writing. The decision is final and cannot be appealed against.
Queue to the sanatorium
A referral to a spa is valid for 18 months from the date of issue. If the treatment has not started within this time, the National He alth Fund notifies the patient about the expiry of the referral validity. He has 14 days from the expiry of this deadline to do so. If you want to go to a sanatorium, you have to apply for a new referral. After determining the date of treatment, but no later than 14 days before the date of its commencement, the NHF department delivers the patient with a confirmed referral. Fund branches keep a list of people waiting for confirmation of referral. Each patient has the right to check their place on the waiting list.
A stay in a sanatorium
Although for now right tothe use of outpatient and sanatorium spa treatment and rehabilitation in a spa sanatorium is granted not more often than once a year, this rule does not apply to people who worked in asbestos producing plants.
» The stay in the spa hospital lasts 21 days and is free of charge. The working person has a sick leave for this period. The child's stay lasts 27 days.
» The stay in the spa sanatorium lasts 21 days and is partially payable. The working person benefits from treatment under annual or unpaid leave.
» A stay in a spa hospital during spa rehabilitation lasts 28 days, is free of charge and takes place on a sick leave.
» A stay in a spa sanatorium during spa rehabilitation lasts 28 days, is partially paid and takes place as part of a holiday leave.
» Spa outpatient treatment for adults and children lasts 6-18 days.
Fees for staying in the sanatorium
Accommodation and meals in the spa sanatorium are partially payable. The amount of the fee for one day of stay depends on the standard of the room and the period of departure. For a night in a double room with full sanitary facilities you have to pay PLN 15 (from 1 October to 30 April) or PLN 21 (from 1 May to 30 September).
NHF does not refund:
- travel costs to spa treatment
- food and accommodation costs in spa sanatoriums
- food and accommodation costs during outpatient treatment
- cost of stay of the caretaker
- additional fees, e.g. climate fees
- costs of natural medicine and rehabilitation procedures in spa hospitals, spa sanatoriums and outpatient spa treatment not related to the underlying disease, which is the direct cause of referral to spa treatment
Resignation from staying in a sanatorium
If you want to resign from your stay in a sanatorium, you should immediately return a referral to the NHF department with a written justification for the resignation. If the reason is a random accident or disease, this fact must be formally confirmed, and the National He alth Fund will set a new date.
You must do itResearch to be taken
Before going to the sanatorium, basic examinations should be performed. A referral is issued by a doctor who decides that the patient should benefit from this form of treatment. Adults for the referral shall be accompanied by the results of ESR, blood count, urine, chest X-ray (valid for 2 years from the date), ECG (valid for six months) and a certificate confirming the diagnosis of the disease, whichis the basis for treatment in a sanatorium. ESRs, blood counts, urine and feces tests for parasite eggs are performed in children. In addition to these tests, you must bring a referral, ID card, valid insurance certificate and additional medical documentation to the sanatorium, if the referring doctor decides that it may be needed.
When going to a sanatorium is not recommended
- acute and chronic infectious diseases (active tuberculosis, venereal diseases, parasitic diseases, mycosis, scabies, pinworms, giardiasis)
- purulent tonsillitis, nasal sinuses, periodontal abscesses, skin fungus
- full-blown circulatory and respiratory failure
- viral hepatitis and jaundice symptoms, liver failure
- high degree urinary and fecal incontinence (bladder catheterization)
- active neoplastic disease, less than 5 years after treatment of malignant melanoma, leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, lymphomas and kidney tumors
- pregnancy and breastfeeding
- decompensated endocrine diseases of the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, adrenal glands
- ischemic heart disease and arrhythmias, including atrial and ventricular fibrillation, tachycardia, advanced hypertension
- diseases requiring urgent surgery (kidney stones, gall bladder stones)
- addiction to alcohol and psychoactive substances
- mental illness, considerable and profound mental retardation
- infirmity, complete disability
Spa treatment for children
Children from 3 to 18 years of age may be referred for spa hospital treatment and for spa sanatorium treatment. Children from 3 to 6 years of age may be referred to the spa sanatorium treatment alone or under the care of a legal guardian. Spa treatment for children is free of charge, while the guardians pay the full cost of the stay. Primary or middle school students are referred to spa treatment throughout the year, high school students benefit from spa treatment during their study-free period.