Hungary health system reform 2026

In late July 2026 Hungary’s new health minister, Hegedűs Zsolt, launched a broad overhaul of the national health system. He condemned the previous Tisza‑led administration for chronic under‑investment, citing decades‑old debt, staff shortages and fragmented patient pathways. The minister announced an annual increase of at least 500 billion forints in public health spending and the creation of an independent Health Ministry organized into five secretariats covering parliamentary affairs, public health, inpatient‑outpatient care, primary care and digital health. Early measures included removing entrance‑camera security at hospitals and restoring autonomous decision‑making to hospital managers, as well as highlighting drug‑price reductions achieved by the Fidesz‑KDNP coalition.

Two days later, Hegedűs addressed ambulance performance, rejecting earlier statistics presented by former state secretary Takács Péter. He introduced a new methodology that measures the full interval from the 112 call receipt to ambulance arrival, revealing an average response time of 18.9 minutes over the past five years—well above the previously claimed 15‑minute benchmark. The minister emphasized methodological flaws in the earlier data and pledged greater transparency following expert requests for detailed information.