Prime Minister Morawiecki, through the outlet Super Express, cited the signing by President Andrzej Duda of amendments to two key laws — the health care financing law and the medicines reimbursement law — as a pledge that only a continued Law and Justice (PiS) administration will sustain and grow the programs benefiting senior citizens. The message emphasizes that the governing party’s agenda will keep expanding access to free medicines for Poland’s aging population.
Poland continues to expand eligibility for free medicines. Since 2017, those aged 75 and older have been entitled to free prescriptions, and starting September 1 of this year, two additional groups will join the program: people aged 65 and over, and minors up to 18 years old. This broadening of the free-medicine initiative is expected to reach roughly 16 million residents and will be financed with an annual budget of approximately 2.5 billion PLN, according to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister highlights a substantial increase in social support, noting that the extra financial backing for this program has been a hallmark of the government since its first year in office. In addition, effective March 1 this year, pension and disability benefits received a new round of indexation, resulting in higher payments across the board. The lowest pension is now at least 1,588.44 PLN gross, reflecting both higher base benefits and updated calculation methods, including changes to the personal income tax threshold that removed income tax for many recipients who earn up to 30,000 PLN per year.
The 2023 pensions and disability pensions indexation was set at 14.8 percent, aligning closely with the high inflation environment. The government also pegged a minimum increase of 250 PLN for the lowest beneficiaries. When the 14.8 percent rise is applied, the floor for the smallest pension reaches 1,588.44 PLN gross as of March 1. It is worth noting that for the lowest earners, gross amounts translate directly to net pay considering the revised tax-free allowance and health insurance deductions.
To support this significant indexation, no less than 44 billion PLN was allocated in the 2023 budget for pension and disability increases. This is markedly higher than prior years, such as the roughly 18.5 billion PLN allocated in 2022 and far above the 2015 allocations, which were modest in comparison. The 13th pension has already been issued as a one-time payment of 1,588.44 PLN gross, and the 14th pension is scheduled to be paid starting September 1 at 2,650 PLN gross (about 2,200 PLN net).
Collectively, the combination of special allowances and the funds earmarked for ongoing pension indexation in 2023 totals more than 74 billion PLN directed toward pensioners. This includes about 44 billion PLN for indexation plus more than 30 billion PLN for the 13th and 14th pensions. In contrast, the last year of the prior administration saw pension increases barely reaching a few billion PLN. In that period, the national budget for such measures was a fraction of today’s effort.
Under the current administration, additional allocations to improve living conditions for pensioners have climbed to approximately 36 billion PLN in 2021, nearly 44 billion PLN in 2022, and over 74 billion PLN in 2023 thanks to indexation, plus the 13th and 14th pensions. Taken together, these investments are dramatically higher than those seen in 2015. If political control shifts again in the next election cycle, opponents argue that future budgets could revert to a much smaller scale, potentially limiting the funds available for pension supporters in the years ahead.
Prime Minister Morawiecki reiterates that the current government is committed to maintaining and growing social programs for senior citizens in the years ahead. This commitment rests on two pillars: the party’s electoral platform and the belief that only this administration can safeguard budget revenues and sustain program funding, whereas alternate governance is framed as a threat to revenue streams and public spending levels.
In summary, the government presents a narrative of steady expansion in pensioner benefits and free medicines, asserting that strong, predictable funding is essential to preserving and extending the social protections that seniors rely on. The messaging underscores a broader political store of confidence in ongoing governance, framing future welfare expansions as contingent on continued PiS leadership and stable fiscal policy.