Free medicines for 16 million Poles - we keep more promises
29.08.2023
The president has signed a law that expands the free meds program. Now, in addition to seniors 75+, the solution will also benefit those over 65 and children and teenagers under 18. This will leave more money in the pockets of citizens. Expansion of the program is made possible through efficient management of public finances. An effective fight against VAT mafias means more funds in the state budget that we can allocate to Polish women and men.
- The source of all our social successes - including in the field of health care - is in repairing the Polish budget,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stressed.
Free medicines for people under 18 and over 65
16 million Poles will save money at the pharmacies. This is all thanks to the implementation of an expanded free meds program. The originator of this solution, like others under #NoweKonkrety, is Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński.
Until now, it was people over 75 who had benefited from this solution. Now, thanks to our successful efforts, they will be joined by 11.5 million people, i.e.:
- people over 65 years of age;
- children and adolescents up to 18 years of age.
- After many years, after many discussions, after many consultations, we have come to the conclusion that these two key social groups - that is, our children (starting with infants and ending with adolescents, up to the age of 18) and our seniors (who are retiring or have already retired, that is, those over 65) - should receive more support from the state,” the head of the Polish government noted.
Lists of free medicines, medical devices and foodstuffs
To date, the list of free reimbursed medicines has included more than 2,000 items. It was almost half of all available products in the pharmacies! In 2022 alone, the program benefited 2.7 million seniors, who received more than 76 million packages of free medicines.
The Ministry of Health is going to publish the new lists on its website. The new list for seniors includes nearly 3,800 free medicines. In addition to it, there will also be a list with medicines for children and adolescents up to the age of 18, which will include more than 2,800 medicines.
- I am very happy, dear compatriots, that we have such another law that will improve the condition of all Polish citizens in teams of health care. In fact, it will improve everyone’s condition, because also those who will not be its direct beneficiaries, will be happy that their parents, grandparents or their children can more easily benefit from what is most needed in health care - proper treatment,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki noted.
#NoweKonkrety - fulfilled promises made to Poles
In May, we presented new proposals for specific solutions for Poles. In addition to expanding the free meds program, these benefits include:
- increasing the 500+ benefit to PLN 800 per month for each child starting from 1 January 2024;
- free state highways from 1 July 2023.
Car drivers and motorcyclists have been enjoying free travel on the A2 Konin-Stryków, A4 Wrocław-Sośnica and A1 Gdańsk-Toruń highways since early July. In early August, the President signed the law, under which each child will receive PLN 800 starting from 1 January 2024, instead of the previous PLN 500.
