Insurers predict that healthcare costs will grow by 10.4% in 2025, according to a survey conducted by WTW Global Medical Trends Survey, according to the website of the global insurance broker WTW.
It is noted that the projected growth in healthcare costs depends on the region.
Thus, in North America, costs are projected to increase from 8.1% in 2024 to 8.7% in 2025, while in the United States, insurers predict an increase of 10.2% in 2025 against 9.3% this year. Expenditures are also projected to accelerate in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, while Europe and Latin America are expected to see slower growth.
While this trend may cool somewhat in some regions, it is projected to remain strong in the long term. In fact, over the next three years, 64% of insurers expect medical trends to increase or increase significantly globally. Demand for healthcare is also not expected to decline in the near future. Two-thirds (67%) of insurers expect higher or significantly higher global demand for healthcare services over the next three years.
Among the main factors contributing to the continuing high costs of health care are, in particular, the growth of new medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, more frequent use of private clinics due to the overload of the public health care system around the world due to high demand and limited resources. In addition, the last few years have seen a surge in the use of healthcare services (with a growing trend towards mental health services), which continues to increase the overall cost of treatment.
Between June and August 2024, WTW conducted a study of global healthcare trends in 2025. The survey involved 348 leading health insurance companies from 75 countries. In addition to reports from insurers, information was received from local WTW brokers representing 55 countries. The aggregate data covers 90 countries.
Citizens of Ukraine who were forced to move to Poland, fleeing Russian military aggression, received access to medical care on an equal basis with Polish citizens, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reports.
“To do this, you need to have a passport of a citizen of Ukraine, which has a mark on crossing the border after February 24, 2022. If you crossed the border without a passport – a document confirming the date of crossing the Polish border by Polish services. The provision of medical care for Ukrainians is free of charge,” the statement reads. message.
In addition, Ukrainians must have refugee status or temporary protection status, as well as an analogue of the Ukrainian identification number – PESEL, which will provide access to healthcare services.
To date, Poland has provided Ukrainians with free access to medical care at all levels: basic medical care – visits to family doctors, calling an ambulance; specialized outpatient care; diagnostic studies (as directed by a doctor); hospital treatment; psychiatric treatment; rehabilitation (except resorts); dental services.
Also, citizens of Ukraine, children and youth under 19 years of age have the right to receive free preventive vaccinations, according to the Polish Preventive Immunization Program. To do this, you should contact your family doctor and get the appropriate referral. In addition, every adult Ukrainian, as well as a child from 5 years old who are in Poland, can also be vaccinated against COVID-19.
In response to Ukraine’s request for the evacuation of patients in need of medical care and forced to leave the country due to the war unleashed by Russia, the European Union is coordinating the relevant work, as well as financing the medical aircraft involved in the transportation.
Balazs Ujvari, representative of the European Commission, announced this on Monday in Brussels.
“As the war continues and people continue to leave the country, health care systems in neighboring countries are under significant strain in Poland, Slovakia, Moldova. For the evacuation of patients in need of medical care, Ukraine requested assistance from the EU. In response, the EU coordinated the evacuation of nearly 200 people through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to eleven European countries. The first RESCEU medical evacuation aircraft funded by the EU has been operational since March and is being accepted by Norway, a member state of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism,” he said.
Ujvari also listed the countries that accept Ukrainian patients. These are Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Romania, Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
More than 500 foreign doctors are ready to provide medical assistance to victims in Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, more than 500 foreign medical workers have already registered through the registration form published on the website of the ministry.
Among them are doctors, nurses and paramedics from the countries of the European Union, the UK, Switzerland, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Israel, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Jordan, Brazil.
Registration remains open.
The Ministry of Health expresses gratitude for the offer to provide foreign medical assistance to Ukraine.
