Hungary’s healthcare system could undergo one of its most significant transformations in decades under the programme of the Tisza Party, with changes expected to affect millions of patients and medical professionals alike.
The reform agenda outlines a comprehensive restructuring: increased funding, a dedicated health ministry, shorter waiting lists, strengthened primary care, and the creation of regional “super hospitals”. While experts broadly agree the direction is sound, they also warn that success will depend heavily on implementation, according to Pénzcentrum’s report.
More funding, new ministry, and structural overhaul
At the core of the plan is a substantial funding boost. The government aims to raise healthcare spending to 7% of GDP by 2030, with at least HUF 500 billion in additional annual resources.
A key institutional change would be the re-establishment of an independent health ministry, led by Zsolt Hegedűs, with enhanced authority, including veto powers in certain decisions. This could bring greater professional focus and autonomy to a sector long criticised for fragmented governance.
The reform would also rebalance the system away from hospital-centric care towards primary and outpatient services. Integrated primary care centres, expanded telemedicine, and increased day surgery capacity are all part of the plan.
Shorter waiting lists and smarter patient pathways
Reducing waiting times is another central objective. The programme targets maximum waiting periods of six months for inpatient care and two months for outpatient services by the end of 2027.
This would be achieved through capacity expansion, revised financing limits, and so-called “intelligent patient pathways” designed to guide patients more efficiently through the system.
At the same time, the government plans to review the coexistence of private and public healthcare services, amid concerns over transparency and trust in state-funded institutions.
Prevention and life expectancy in focus
The reforms place strong emphasis on prevention and public health. Screening participation rates would be raised to EU averages, while cancer incidence is targeted to fall by at least 10% within four years.
Longer-term ambitions include increasing life expectancy at birth to 80 years by 2035. Measures to support this include school-based health programmes, regular health assessments, digital health solutions, and initiatives promoting healthier diets.
However, experts stress that prevention efforts must go beyond healthcare policy alone, requiring coordination with education, food policy, and environmental strategies.
Chronic staff shortages remain the biggest challenge
Despite ambitious goals, nearly all professional organisations agree on one critical bottleneck: human resources.
Stakeholders, including the Hungarian Hospital Association, Hungarian Chamber of Health Care Professionals, Hungarian Medical Chamber and Hungarian Doctors’ Union, highlighted staff shortages, ageing workforce, and declining motivation as systemic risks.
Experts argue that wage increases alone will not be sufficient. Improved working conditions, predictable career paths, and stronger professional recognition are also needed to retain staff and attract new entrants.
There are also structural mismatches: while some professions face shortages, others, such as physiotherapists and dietitians, struggle to find roles within the public system due to limited positions.
Primary care seen as the key weak point
Health economist Eszter Sinkó identified the weakness of primary care as one of the system’s most persistent problems.
She argued that many services that could be delivered locally are still unavailable at the community level. Strengthening GP practices with larger teams (potentially tripling current staffing levels) would be essential to easing pressure on hospitals.
Reforms could also include closer integration between outpatient specialist services and primary care, alongside new financing models such as bundled payments.
Super hospitals vs regional access
The proposal to create regional “super hospitals” has received cautious support, provided it does not come at the expense of smaller local facilities.
Healthcare leaders stress that while high-level centres are important for complex care, everyday services must remain accessible across the country. Balancing efficiency with equitable access will be a key challenge.
Transparency, patient rights and emergency care
The programme also promises greater transparency by publishing institutional quality indicators and patient satisfaction data. Patient rights protections would be strengthened, addressing long-standing concerns that patients often struggle to navigate the system.
In emergency care, the target is for ambulances to reach patients within 15 minutes nationwide by 2027, supported by fleet upgrades and digitalisation.
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Broad support, but details will be decisive
While professional bodies broadly support the direction of reform, they consistently emphasise that the current programme outlines goals rather than detailed policy solutions.
They call for sustained consultation, stable financing, and predictable regulation to ensure effective implementation. Without these, even substantial funding increases may fail to deliver lasting improvements.
As one sector leader put it, the reform plan is currently “a painting with strong outlines”, but the finer details will determine whether Hungary can build a more efficient, equitable and resilient healthcare system.
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