Polish lawmakers back free medicines for seniors, energy cost relief

Polish MPs have approved a bill to offer free medicines to children and young people up to the age of 18, and to seniors past the age of 65, as well as a plan to increase the amount of electricity that households can use at a reduced price.

Photo:

PAP/Grzegorz Michałowski

The free medicines bill was voted through by 438 votes to 12, with two abstentions, on Thursday night, Polish state news agency PAP reported. 

❗️ Bezpłatne zaopatrzenie w leki, środki spożywcze specjalnego przeznaczenia żywieniowego oraz wyroby medyczne przysługiwać będzie osobom, które nie ukończyły 18. roku życia oraz osobom, które ukończyły 65. rok życia.

📌#Sejm uchwalił ustawę o zmianie ustawy o świadczeniach… pic.twitter.com/6kZCYeMTbA

— Sejm RP🇵🇱 (@KancelariaSejmu) July 13, 2023

Under the plan, an estimated 11.5 million Poles, including some 7 million children and youth, will gain access to free medication, according to officials. 

To date, free medicines have been available to seniors over the age of 75, some 4 million people in total, the PAP news agency reported.    

Now the number of those eligible will increase to around 16 million and the programme will be worth PLN 2.4 billion (EUR 539 million) a year, the Polish government said. 

Moreover, the number of medicines covered by the programme will almost double to 4,000, according to officials. 

The new regulations are set to come into effect a day after being published in the country’s Journal of Laws, the PAP news agency reported. 

🧑‍⚕️💊 #Sejm uchwalił ustawę o zmianie ustawy o refundacji leków, środków spożywczych specjalnego przeznaczenia żywieniowego oraz wyrobów medycznych oraz niektórych innych ustaw.

➡️ To #BezpłatneLeki na receptę dla seniorów 65+ oraz dzieci i młodzieży do 18. roku życia. pic.twitter.com/LRpBBcp8wl

— Kancelaria Premiera (@PremierRP) July 13, 2023

MPs back energy cost relief for households, firms, public sector 

Meanwhile, Poland’s lower house, the Sejm, also approved further support with energy costs for households, small and mid-sized companies and selected public agencies, the PAP news agency reported. 

MPs passed this bill in a 436-5 vote, with 10 abstentions on Thursday. 

❗️Sejm wzmocnił ochronę gospodarstw domowych, samorządów i odbiorców wrażliwych przed skutkami wzrostu cen prądu.

📌Ustawa o zmianie ustawy o szczególnych rozwiązaniach służących ochronie odbiorców energii elektrycznej w 2023 roku w związku z sytuacją na rynku energii… pic.twitter.com/qaQeC2KMcN

— Sejm RP🇵🇱 (@KancelariaSejmu) July 13, 2023

Under the bill, the limit of electricity that can be consumed in 2023 at a "frozen" price of PLN 693 (EUR 155) per 1 MWh, will be increased from 2,000 kWh to 3,000 kWh for households; from 2,600 kWh to 3,600 kWh for families with members with disabilities; and from 3,000 kWh to 4,000 kWh for large families and farmers, the PAP news agency reported.

In addition, as of October 1, the price cap on energy for local governments, small and medium-sized companies as well as "sensitive recipients" such as schools and hospitals, will be reduced from PLN 785 (EUR 176) per 1 MWh to PLN 693 (EUR 155) per 1 MWh, officials said.   

The plan also foresees that coal mining companies and coal suppliers will pay “a solidarity fee” on any “extraordinary profits” made in 2022, meaning profits exceeding "120 percent of their average profits over the previous four years," to help finance support with electricity costs for households and “sensitive recipients,” the PAP news agency reported.

The energy cost relief bill now proceeds to the Senate, the upper house of parliament, for consideration.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, prawo.pl, gov.pl, money.pl