Voluntary health insurance in the National Health Fund
Persons, who are not subject to obligatory health insurance and do not meet conditions to be registered for insurance as family members, can obtain the status of the insured only by getting voluntary health insurance. This applies especially to persons working based on specific task contracts, volunteers or foreigners, who are not listed in Article 66 of the Act.
However, not all foreigners can get voluntary insurance in the National Health Fund. In accordance with the Act, the following persons do not have such right:
- foreigners residing on the territory of the Republic of Poland based on a visa for the purposes other than work;
- holders of the permit for temporary residence granted based on Article 181 section 1 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners.
Agreement for voluntary health insurance in the National Health Fund
A person interested in voluntary health insurance submits the following documents to the voivodeship branch of the National Health Fund competent for his/her place of residence (contact details of voivodeship branches of the National Health Fund):
- 2 applications for being covered (with family members, who do not have any other title to health insurance) by voluntary health insurance;
- passport.
Upon submitting the application, the foreigner is obliged to present relevant documents. Except the identity document (passport), inter alia, the following documents can be required:
- document confirming the place of residence on the territory of the Republic of Poland, visa for the purposes of work (in case of children – any visa);
- permit for temporary residence (Note: holders of the permit granted based on Article 181 section 1 cannot use voluntary insurance in the National Health Fund);
- permanent residence permit;
- permit for residence for a long-term EU resident;
- consent for tolerated residence;
- consent for residence due to humanitarian reasons;
- document confirming the status of refugee granted in Poland;
- certificate issued by the university confirming the education process;
- certificate of being a member of a religious congregation;
- agreement on obligatory adaptation traineeship/training;
- certificate of participation in the Polish language course or preparatory course to start learning in Polish.
In the case of registration of a family member for voluntary health insurance, the following documents should be enclosed:
- identity document of a spouse;
- document confirming the Personal Identification Number (PESEL) of a child;
- in the case of a child above 18 years of age – identity document and document confirming the education process.
Subject to exceptions, voluntary health insurance is possible when a person interested in getting insurance has his/her place of residence on the territory of the Republic of Poland (Article 68 section 1 of the Act). Exceptions to this rule are defined in Article 3 section 2 points 1-4 of the Healthcare Act, and they include, e.g.:
- students and participants of Ph.D. studies, who study in Poland, and graduates on obligatory traineeship in Poland, who are not citizens of a Member State of the EU or a member state of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – a party to the agreement on the European Economic Area (if they are not persons legally residing on the territory of a EU Member State or a member state of EFTA other than Poland);
- members of religious orders and seminarists studying at theological seminaries, postulants, novices and junior brothers/sisters at religious orders and equivalents, who do not have citizenship of an EU Member State or a member state of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – a party to the agreement on the European Economic Area (who are not persons legally residing on the territory of a EU Member State or a member state of EFTA other than Poland), staying on the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a visa, a permanent residence permit, a temporary residence permit, residence permit for a EU long-term resident, tolerated residence permit or with refugee status, granted in the Republic of Poland or enjoying temporary protection on its territory;
- persons on the adaptation traineeship;
- persons participating in Polish language courses and preparatory courses to start learning in Polish, referred to in university education regulations, who are not citizens of a Member State of the EU or a member state of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – a party to the agreement on the European Economic Area (if they are not persons legally residing on the territory of a EU Member State or a member state of EFTA other than Poland).
The agreement shall be signed after submitting the application and presenting the documents. The agreement shall be concluded for indefinite term. Insurance cover becomes effective on the day set in the agreement.
The obligation to pay the additional fee does not apply to foreigners.
NOTE: Within 7 days of signing the agreement with the National Health Fund it is necessary to report to the branch or the inspectorate office of the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) to register for health insurance
This registration is made on ZUS ZZA form (ZUS ZCNA – for family members), under the insurance code 24 10 XX.
The insured is obliged to pay health insurance premiums on his/her own. The due day for the premium is on the 15th day of the next month.
Consequently, e.g. the premium for May should be paid no later than on the 15th June. If the ultimate premium due date falls on Saturday or on a statutory holiday, the due date shall be the next day after the day-off or days-off. The insured is obliged to submit the ZUS DRA settlement declaration for every month of being covered by health insurance.
In principle, the premium base is the amount of the declared monthly income, which cannot be lower than the amount of the average monthly remuneration in the remuneration in the enterprise sector for the previous quarter (i.e. PLN 4,053.71 in Q2 2015) – 9% of the base is PLN 364.83.
In the case of foreigners – students and Ph.D. students, graduates on obligatory traineeship or adaptation traineeship, members of religious orders, and students participating in Polish language course or preparatory courses to start learning in Polish in Poland – the premium base is the amount corresponding to the care benefit due based on regulations on family benefits (in 2015, this is PLN 520 and the premium is 9% of this amount) – in such case, the insurance premium amount is precisely PLN 46.80.
In the case of persons subject to voluntary insurance, the insurance proof is a copy of the agreement with the confirmation of the premium payment for the last month, while in the case of family members of such person – a copy of the agreement, ZUS ZCNA form (where family members are listed) and the proof of payment of the premium for the last month by the insured.
The insured can terminate the agreement at any time, by submitting written termination notice to the branch of the National Health Fund competent for his/her place of residence. He/she is also obliged to notify the Social Insurance Institution thereof by filling in the insurance deregistration form (ZUS ZWUA ). The agreement shall expire automatically in the case of non-paying the premiums or becoming subject to obligatory health insurance.