In Poland, health care facilities are either public or privately owned.
It should be kept in mind that the insured person is eligible to receive free medical services -paid by the insurer – only in healthcare facilities that have signed a contract with the NFZ. Usually, in such a facility there is a display informing patients that the institution has signed a contract with the NFZ. If a patient receives assistance in a health care institution which does not have a contract with the NFZ, he will be obligated to cover the costs incurred by himself, whether he is insured or not. It is possible to receive free assistance in healthcare facilities that do not have a signed contract with the NFZ only in emergencies, such as a sudden condition posing a threat to the patient’s health or life. In such critical circumstances only vital assistance can be provided free of charge.