ZUS pays, not NFZ. Then different rules apply in the health resort

Author: prepared by MCD • Source: Rynek Zdrowia • Published: 04 July 2025 20:47

More people can benefit from free medical rehabilitation. ZUS finances stays in health resorts and rehabilitation centers. Since February this year, it has expanded the catalog qualifying for treatment to include post-accident and neurological rehabilitation. Each stay lasts 24 days and is free for patients.

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The Social Insurance Institution co-finances rehabilitation in sanatoriums and rehabilitation centres as part of the so-called pension prevention. This means that people who are at risk of losing their ability to work can benefit from the support. Since February this year, ZUS has expanded the programme to include post-accident rehabilitation, and since April - neurological rehabilitation (both in-patient and outpatient). It will allocate nearly PLN 415 million for its implementation.

Each stay lasts 24 days and is free for patients. ZUS covers the costs of such treatment, as well as accommodation and meals.

To benefit from preventive pension, a patient must meet certain criteria:

be insured with ZUS (work professionally),
receive sickness benefit or rehabilitation benefit,
receive a periodic pension due to incapacity for work.

Rehabilitation may also be recommended during a medical certificate check or when applying for rehabilitation benefits. The application for rehabilitation (form PR-4) is completed by the attending physician, and the patient can submit it at any ZUS facility or electronically via the Electronic Services Platform.

- The decision to refer for rehabilitation is made by a ZUS medical expert based on an examination or medical documentation. Rehabilitation lasts 24 days, but can be extended or shortened with the consent of ZUS. ZUS covers all costs related to treatment, accommodation, meals and reimburses the costs of travel by the cheapest means of public transport - we read in the information from the Social Insurance Institution.

Inpatient rehabilitation covers patients:

with problems with the musculoskeletal system,
with circulatory system problems,
with respiratory problems,
with psychosomatic illnesses,
with oncological diseases,
with neurological diseases,
with diseases of the vocal organ.

Outpatient care covers similar conditions but requires daily travel to treatments at designated times.

As part of rehabilitation, patients are provided with:

individual treatment plan including physiotherapy (kinesiotherapy, physical therapy, massages),
psychological support (individual therapy, psychoeducation, relaxation training)
health education on proper nutrition, prevention of lifestyle diseases and addictions, as well as basic knowledge about illnesses and hazards in the workplace.