Health (GR)

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Greece – Healthcare

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This chapter includes all you need to know about healthcare benefits in Greece.

Periods of insurance completed in a Member State of the EU, EEA and Switzerland can be counted as insurance periods covered in Greece even if there is no legislative provision for this.

Here you will find information on illness benefits in kind.

In what situation can I claim?

Illness benefits in kind are provided by the National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) (ฮ•ฮฝฮนฮฑฮฏฮฟฯ‚ ฮŸฯฮณฮฑฮฝฮนฯƒฮผฯŒฯ‚ ฮ ฮฑฯฮฟฯ‡ฯŽฮฝ ฮฅฯ€ฮทฯฮตฯƒฮนฯŽฮฝ ฮฅฮณฮตฮฏฮฑฯ‚ โ€“ ฮ•ฮŸฮ ฮฅฮฅ) to employees insured with the Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA) (public- and private-sector employees, farmers, self-employed individuals, and mariners).

Pensioners, unemployed individuals and dependants are also entitled to illness benefits in kind.

Furthermore, in the event that you are no longer insured due to long-term unemployment or because you were insured as a dependent person and have lost this right due to divorce, you have the option of applying for optional insurance.

What conditions do I need to meet?

In order to gain access to illness insurance benefits in kind, you are required to have paid insurance contributions corresponding to at least 50 days of employment during the year preceding the illness or during the 12-month period preceding the illness.

One day of employment corresponds to one day of insurance. Annual paid leave is included in the days of employment.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Your financial contribution to the cost of healthcare depends on the type of benefit.

Benefits in kind are provided throughout the period of your entitlement to these benefits, and if a particular illness continues after your entitlement has expired, you will continue to be entitled to the benefit until you recover (continuation of treatment).

You are entitled to the following benefits:

  • Medical care
  • Hospital care and hospitalisation;
  • Free preventive dental care and dental treatment, orthodontic treatment for minors up to 13 years of age, change of dentures every five years and provision of services in the meantime (whenever this is deemed necessary, within the Primary National Health Network (PEDY) (ฮ ฯฯ‰ฯ„ฮฟฮฒฮฌฮธฮผฮนฮฟ ฮ•ฮธฮฝฮนฮบฯŒ ฮ”ฮฏฮบฯ„ฯ…ฮฟ ฮฅฮณฮตฮฏฮฑฯ‚ โ€“ ฮ ฮ•ฮ”ฮฅ));
  • Free physiotherapy and rehabilitation;
  • Administration of medicine, which as a rule requires a patient contribution of 25% or 10% for certain illnesses and in cases of pensioners receiving the Pensioners’ Social Solidarity Benefit (EKAS) (ฮ•ฯ€ฮฏฮดฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮšฮฟฮนฮฝฯ‰ฮฝฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚ ฮ‘ฮปฮปฮทฮปฮตฮณฮณฯฮทฯ‚ ฮฃฯ…ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮพฮนฮฟฯฯ‡ฯ‰ฮฝ โ€“ ฮ•ฮšฮ‘ฮฃ), and free administration of medicine in special cases (work accidents, treatment during pregnancy, chronic illnesses);
  • Free transport to public hospitals in the event of an accident or emergency by calling the National Emergency Aid Centre (EKAB) (ฮ•ฮธฮฝฮนฮบฯŒ ฮšฮญฮฝฯ„ฯฮฟ ฮ†ฮผฮตฯƒฮทฯ‚ ฮ’ฮฟฮฎฮธฮตฮนฮฑฯ‚ โ€“ ฮ•ฮšฮ‘ฮ’);
  • Treatment aids, orthopaedic items, glasses, hearing aids, prostheses, etc. requiring a 25% contribution by the insured individual or provided free of charge in special cases (diabetes patients, paraplegics, quadriplegics, patients suffering from renal disease, etc.).
  • Insured individuals are entitled to medical care provided by PEDY doctors and doctors contracted by EOPYY. Insured individuals select a family doctor from the relevant list provided by the PEDY local services network.

Insured individuals can visit EOPYY-contracted doctors (by appointment) at the outpatient clinics of public hospitals (regular and emergency outpatient clinics), at Health Centres and the regional clinics of Health Centres, and at PEDY establishments, in accordance with the relevant waiting list.

Alternatively, the “openings” of all EOPYY-contracted private doctors are available on the EOPYY website, under the option of “Available doctors’ appointments”.

In both cases you are entitled to medical care at no extra charge. However, in the event that you visit a contracted private doctor, there is a possibility you will be charged if the doctor has reached the maximum limit of 200 free visits per month.

Please note that visits to non-contracted doctors cannot be reimbursed.

  • All paraclinical tests are free of charge at public hospitals but require a 15% contribution at EOPYY-contracted diagnostic laboratories. Please note that no reimbursements are provided if such tests are carried out at a non-contracted diagnostic laboratory.
  • You are entitled to free hospital care at public hospitals and are required to pay a contribution to contracted private hospitals. In the latter case, the contribution depends on the financing system and is equal to 30% of the hospital care expenses when Diagnosis-Related Groups (KEN) apply and 10% when daily fees apply.

In order for a patient to be hospitalised, a medical certificate by the attending physician is required. Please note that expenses for hospitalisation at a non-contracted clinic cannot be reimbursed.

In order to gain access to illness insurance benefits in kind and in cash, you will need a health booklet, which serves as your insurance ID. The personal health booklet is provided to the individual who is directly insured, while the family booklet is provided to dependants following an application filed with the insurance organisation.

The renewal of health booklets takes place every September and December. In order to have a health booklet issued, visit your local EFKA branch or the nearest Citizens Service Centre (KEP).

Jargon busters

  • Dependants, also known as protected members, are indirectly insured and are entitled to the same benefits as you. Dependants include

(a) your spouse, if s/he does not work;

(b) your unmarried children if they live with you

  • up to the age of 18 or
  • if they are unemployed, up to the age of 24 or
  • if they are students, for 2 years following the completion of their studies or once they have reached the age of 26 (whichever comes first);

(c) your children who have a disability of more than 67% even if they work or are employed for the purpose of occupational therapy;

(d) your parents (on certain conditions);

(e) orphans who have lost both parents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters or orphans by one parent if the surviving parent is considered a protected member;

(f) siblings with disabilities exceeding 67% if they are not insured by the same right;

(g) the uninsured divorced spouse (under conditions) if he/she pays the corresponding contributions to the former Spouse’s institution.

  • EOPYY: this is the National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services, which started operating in 2012 for the provision of health services by a single national organisation. The majority of insurance funds come under EOPYY.
  • EFKA (Unified Social Security Fund): this is the single insurance fund in Greece.
  • PEDY: this is the Primary National Health Network, which was implemented in April 2014 and provides primary healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, health promotion and healthcare.
  • Paraclinical tests: diagnostic tests (microbiological, radiological, cardiological, etc.) provided by the EOPYY Standard Health Benefit Regulations.
  • Optional insurance: EFKA provides the option to cover pensionable service through the optional insurance or self-insurance procedure to those who have stopped working, either due to dismissal or on other grounds. Based on the regulations of the Institute, insured persons who stop working โ€“ either voluntarily or due to dismissal โ€“ are entitled to request the continuation of their insurance.

Know your rights

The links below provide a legal definition of your rights. They are not European Commission websites, nor do they represent the views of the Commission:

  • Guide on the services provided by EOPYY
  • If you believe that your rights in terms of the organisation of health units, your safe and timely transfer to these units, and their availability of material and human resources have been violated, you can file a report with the Greek Ombudsman.
  • Employees who stop working are entitled to request the continuation of their insurance for illness from the Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA).

Publication and website of the European Commission:

Who do you need to contact?

Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA)

International Relations Directorate
ฮ‘ฮณฮฏฮฟฯ… ฮšฯ‰ฮฝฯƒฯ„ฮฑฮฝฯ„ฮฏฮฝฮฟฯ… 8/8, Agiou Konstantinou street

10241 ฮ‘ฮธฮฎฮฝฮฑ/Athens
ฮ•ฮ›ฮ›ฮ‘ฮ”ฮ‘/GREECE
Tel.: +30 210 6783661
Website: http://www.efka.gov.gr

National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY)
Directorate of International Insurance Relations
ฮ‘ฯ€ฮฟฯƒฯ„ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ… ฮ ฮฑฯฮปฮฟฯ… 12/Apostolou Pavlou 12
151 23 ฮœฮฑฯฮฟฯฯƒฮน/Marousi, ฮ‘ฮธฮฎฮฝฮฑ/Athens
ฮ•ฮ›ฮ›ฮ‘ฮ”ฮ‘/GREECE
Tel.: +30 2108110916, 918, 919, 925 (from 8:00am to 15:00pm)
Website: www.eopyy.gov.gr

Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity
Directorate of Specialised Matters on Social Security and Provisions
ฮฃฯ„ฮฑฮดฮฏฮฟฯ… 29/29 Stadiou street
101 10 ฮ‘ฮธฮฎฮฝฮฑ/Athens
ฮ•ฮ›ฮ›ฮ‘ฮ”ฮ‘/GREECE
Tel.: 2131516842, 1516752
Website: www.ypakp.gr

https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1112&langId=en&intPageId=4562

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