Each insured person has the right to change the doctor, nurse and primary care midwife no more than twice a year. If for the third time in a given calendar year we want to change the primary care physician, nurse or midwife, we are obliged to pay a fee of PLN 80 to the account of the Provincial Department of the Fund.
The issue of fees whenchanging the primary he alth care doctornot applicable when the patient changes place of residence or when a given doctor, nurse or midwife has finished providing medical assistance under the National He alth Fund.
Naturally, it is possible for the patient not to change he alth care providers due to the change of place of residence. There is no such statutory obligation.
Zoning is not required when choosing a doctor, nurse or midwife.The patient can sign up to any he alth care facility, which means that he can also be treated outside his place of residence. The only reservation is the facility having a signed contract with the National He alth Fund.
When changing a GP, nurse or midwife, the patient has the right to obtain a copy of his medical records for transfer to the new he althcare provider. The cost of making a photocopy or a copy is borne by the applicant, in this case the patient.
The choice of a physician is made on the basis of the so-called declaration of choice. It contains:
1, beneficiary's data:
name and surname, family name, date of birth, gender, PESEL number, if one has been issued, place of study - in the case of pupils and students, home address, telephone number;
2. determining which selection is made once in a given year;
3. he alth insurance card number - in the case of the insured;
4. code of the provincial branch of the Fund;
5. details of the primary care doctor, nurse and midwife:
name and surname, seat of the service provider providing primary he alth care services, place of providing he alth care services;
6. date of selection;
7. signature of the recipient or his / her guardianlegal;
8. signature of the person accepting the declaration of choice.
It's good to know that
The patient has the right to choose the provider of outpatient specialist servicesfrom among those providers who have concluded contracts for the provision of he althcare services. The recipient has the right to choose a hospital from among hospitals that have concluded an agreement for the provision of he althcare services. The right to choose a hospital is a limited right, determined by contracts for the provision of he althcare services. Therefore, this regulation does not provide grounds for deriving the right to benefits in a he alth care unit situated territorially. Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 23 May 2012 II OSK 601/2012
The patient has the right to choose a dentistfrom among dentists who have concluded an agreement for the provision of he althcare services. Children and adolescents up to 18 years of age, as well as pregnant and puerperal women are en titled to additional he alth services of a dentist and dental materials used in providing these services, qualified as guaranteed benefits for these people. Benefits are provided upon presentation of a supporting document:
1. age - for children and adolescents;
2. pregnancy or puerperium - for women.
According to the Act, the beneficiaries are:
1. Insured:
- persons subject to compulsory he alth insurance,
- voluntarily insured, being family members of the insured person.
2. Persons other than the insured:
- under 18,
- women during pregnancy and childbirth who have Polish citizenship and place of residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland.
Legal basis: Act on he alth care benefits financed from public funds (Journal of Laws of 2008, No. 164, item 1027, as amended)