Polish retired farmers push for faster KRUS sanatorium access

The National Council of Agricultural Chambers (KRIR) has asked the Polish Minister of Agriculture to amend regulations so that retired farmers who continue to run farms and pay contributions to the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund receive the same priority for KRUS rehabilitation sanatoriums as active farmers. Under current rules, retirees are placed in a pensioner pool with limited places, leading to waiting times that can stretch from several months to decades – in some regions up to 20 years. KRIR argues that this treatment is unfair given the physical demands of farm work and the contributors’ ongoing insurance payments.

The Opole Agricultural Chamber advises affected retirees to seek treatment through the National Health Fund (NFZ), which offers sanatorium placements with considerably shorter queues, typically measured in months. The chamber outlines the application process, including obtaining an e‑referral from a family doctor and approval by a balneologist.