Greece

8.5%CHE/GDP

33.5%OOP/CHE

8.7%GGHE-D/GGE

218BGDP (USD)

10.5MPopulation

5.5%Unmet Needs - Total

7.2%Unmet Needs - Female

5.5%Unmet Needs - Male

Greece is a Member State of the European Union (EU) with a population of 10.5 million people in 2022. The Greek health system is a mixed system, with the national health system (NHS) as the main public provider, complemented by a vibrant private sector. There is a public insurance provision for basic coverage with a heavy reliance on market mechanisms in service provision.

Greece: Country Health Profile 2023 reported on several indicators in Greece. Life expectancy at birth in Greece was 80.7 years in 2022, equaling the EU average. In 2020, the leading causes of death in Greece were diseases of the circulatory system, such as stroke and ischaemic heart diseases, which accounted for nearly 35 % of all deaths, and cancers (particularly lung cancer), which accounted for 23% of all deaths. High smoking rates and obesity, particularly among adolescents, are two behavioural risk factors of concern, contributing to a substantial number of deaths in 2019.

Near-universal coverage and unified benefit package

The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Greece’s describe Greece’s health system. The ministry of health is responsible for regulation of the entire health system. Health coverage is nearly universal, with a standardized benefit package covering preventive, primary and secondary care. The national health system is financed through the National Organisation for Health Care Services (EOPYY) and the government. EOPYY solely purchases services from public and private providers.^[1]

Centred around hospitals, complemented by health centres, service delivery is characterized by long waiting times at hospitals, often leading patients to seek services from private providers.^[2]

Health spending has risen but remains relatively low

Data for 2022 and averages calculated from that data show that Greece’s current health expenditure (CHE) stood at 8.5% of GDP, compared to the EU average of 8.7%. The per capita CHE (US$1,768) is half of the average across the EU (US$ 3,461). Health expenditure from public sources accounted for 30.2% of health spending; social health insurance amounted to 31.7% of health spending; and out-of-pocket (OOP) spending accounted for 33.5% of health spending.^[3]

OOP spending mainly comprises copayments for pharmaceuticals and direct payments for services outside of the benefit package. In addition, informal payments are widely practiced and act as a barrier to accessing health care services.^[1]

Greece and health care reforms

Greece’s health care sector reform of 2010 centralized the health insurance system, reorganized primary care and controlled spending. While efficiency improved, public spending compressed, unmet needs rose and inequalities widened. The stated priority is to rebalance fiscal policy to protect people living in poverty and ensure universal access.^[2]

References

[1] Greece: Country Health Profile 2023, page 9.

[2] IMF, Health Care Reform in Greece: Progress and Reform Priorities, 2021, p. 04.

[3] World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database, NHA Indicators (choose country)