According to research, Poland is becoming an increasingly popular destination for expats, i.e. high-class specialists who leave their country to work abroad. In last year's "Expat Explore Survey" prepared by HSBC, we took 13th place among the best countries to live and work. Poland is popular mainly due to its convenient location in the center of Europe and relatively low cost of living, which is very appealing for expats. However, when living in a new country, the level of medical care is also extremely important. What can Poland offer expats in terms of healthcare?

A foreign worker who comes to Poland for several months to work on a contract faces many challenges. The first barrier is the lack of knowledge of local realities, language and new surroundings. Moving also means the need to adapt to the living conditions in a given country. It is also extremely important to know about the healthcare system in that country. 

How can expats benefit from public healthcare while in our country? In Poland, it depends on whether they have signed appropriate agreements with a given country. European Union citizens who have insurance in their home countries have the right to use public healthcare in Poland. It’s different for people from outside the EU (this applies to Ukrainians, for example), who cannot obtain such rights. In this situation, the best solution is to get private healthcare insurance.

Some employees may have private insurance purchased at home. In this case, when in Poland they should look for a facility that deals with foreign insurance services, including Cigna International (US, UK), Bupa, Allianz, Axa PPP, SOS International, Aetna, GMC, Inter Krankenversicherung Ag, Seven Corners, Inter Global, or Menzis. However, it’s important to not just choose any random facility but one that can provide comprehensive services in English (e.g. DMC).

"It’s best to make sure that the hospital we choose will offer quality care (ensuring consultations with English-speaking doctors), fully coordinate the entire process, and ensure patients can undergo both emergency procedures those that had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic," Marek Kubicki, Board Member at Damian Medical Centre, said

(WBJ)