Budget 2026: 2.4 Million Hospitalizations and New Oncological Procedures in the NHIF

In 2026, the NHIF plans to finance 2.4 million hospitalizations via clinical pathways and 2 million clinical and ambulatory procedures for insured individuals. The increase in funding for hospital care compared to the current year is approximately 10%, whereas 2.1 million hospitalizations were planned for 2025. The total budget allocated for hospital medical care amounts to 2,325,119.5 thousand.

The draft budget includes the introduction of new ambulatory procedures for oncology patients, including next-generation genomic sequencing for patients with newly discovered tumors. The goal is to identify targetable mutations that determine tumor growth and to provide opportunities for personalized treatment. Plans also include the introduction of an ambulatory procedure for treatment with theranostic radiopharmaceuticals using Lutetium-177 for prostate carcinoma, including patients with severe and metastatic forms of the disease. A new clinical procedure for the intensive care of children up to 18 years of age is also envisioned.

The NHIF will continue to finance robot-assisted surgery, robotic rehabilitation, as well as endovascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for stroke and other diseases. To ensure medical care in remote and hard-to-reach areas, as well as to support priority hospitals, €34.8 million has been allocated.

For primary outpatient care, €349.3 million has been set aside, with the children’s healthcare program guaranteeing 2.3 million activities. The budget accounts for 4.7 million dispensary check-ups, 2.6 million preventive examinations, and 167,000 immunizations according to the National Immunization Calendar. Additional incentives for general practitioners are planned for December 2026 for high levels of coverage in preventive examinations, as well as the continuation of supplemental payments for practices in hard-to-reach areas.

In specialized outpatient care, funds are provided for over 24.8 million medical activities, including primary and secondary examinations, dispensary observation, prevention for individuals with risk factors, expert assessments, and highly specialized tests such as echocardiography, EEG, and EMG. The total amount for specialized care is €352.5 million. For medico-diagnostic activities, €167.5 million has been allocated, allowing for approximately 31.9 million laboratory and imaging tests.

You can view the draft law here, and the explanatory memorandum here.