Specific decisions on changes to the contribution will be presented at the next government meeting, the Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the government heard information from the health and finance ministers about changes to health care and changes to health insurance payments for 2025 and 2026. After “accepting the direction”, a concrete solution on the contribution will be presented at the next cabinet meeting, the prime minister's chancellor said after the cabinet meeting.
Health insurance premium. Changes in parts
Changes to health insurance premiums are prepared in two ways.
The first part of the reform, the government project of which is included in the agenda of the next Sejm, excludes income and costs of obtaining income from the sale of fixed assets due to the assessment of health insurance contributions by persons engaged in non-agricultural business activities, including: real estate. The changes, which are set to come into effect on January 1, 2025, will apply to 2.4 million people engaged in non-agricultural business activities.
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On Tuesday, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyn Pelczynska-Nalecz (Polska2050) said that the next steps are planned in two periods: the reduction of the contribution paid by small businesses from 2025 and the second one a year later. – as well as in the case of medium-sized entrepreneurs.
The government has allocated more than PLN 5 billion to cover costs caused by changes in health insurance premiums for businesses. This amount of about 1 billion PLN is money for compensation of income after the liquidation of the share of fixed assets. Donald Tusk announced at the end of October that the remaining part is to cover lower incomes from health insurance premiums by businesses as a result of the changes that the government is working on.
Election promises on health insurance contributions
“We will return to a unified system of health insurance payments. We will end the absurdity of health insurance payments in the sale of fixed assets” – this is one of the 100 specifics of the first 100 days of the government – one of the pre-election promises of the Civil Coalition. This point is also in the coalition agreement signed by KO, the Third Way and the left.
In March of this year, Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski and Health Minister Isabelle Leszczyna presented a government bill on premium changes, including a wide-ranging reform of health insurance payments for businesses, due to come into effect on January 1, 2025. However, this proposal has not been discussed so far.
Poland 2050 presented its first proposal on this issue in March, then – in July – the group proposed an amendment to the project. Accordingly, three one-time contribution amounts will be introduced: 4 percent, 7 percent. and it was 9.4 percent, which was calculated based on the average salary. The amount of the contribution in a particular month will depend on the sum of the total contribution income of the insured person from the beginning of the calendar year, up to PLN 85,000. PLN, more than 85 thousand PLN to 300,000 PLN PLN and more than 300 thousand zlotys. Currently, these rounded amounts will be PLN 300, PLN 525 and PLN 700, respectively.
The left concept would replace the current health insurance contribution with a 9% health tax from 2026, which would be paid by both PIT and CIT payers. The PSL proposal envisages that the reduction in health insurance premiums will be phased out.
Premium health insurance after ordering in Poland
Currently, the health insurance contribution for employees is 9%. The same amount is paid by entrepreneurs according to the tax schedule. Businesses who pay a flat rate of 4.9% and those who pay a flat tax pay a flat rate of three levels depending on income.
Together with the so-called Polish Decree, the obligation of entrepreneurs to pay medical insurance fees was also introduced in the sale of fixed assets.
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