What Is the Healthcare System Like in Greece? What Can People Living in Athens Expect?

There is an important difference, from a healthcare perspective, between spending a few days in Athens on holiday and living there long term. Understanding how the system works from the outset can make daily life considerably easier, especially for families with children, retirees and investors planning to spend most of the year in Greece.

Greece has a mixed healthcare system in which public and private providers operate side by side. On the public side is ESY, the National Health System, while EOPYY plays a central role in financing and purchasing publicly covered healthcare services. Private doctors, clinics and diagnostic centres contracted with EOPYY are also part of the system. Official EOPYY overview of the Greek healthcare system

In other words, healthcare in Greece should not be viewed as consisting only of public hospitals.

How Does the Public Healthcare System Work?

The national healthcare system, known as ESY, operates through health centres, public hospitals and primary-care services.

Primary care includes services such as doctor consultations, diagnostic services and laboratory tests. When needed, patients can be referred to a specialist or hospital.

EOPYY also has an important role in both public healthcare services and contracted private healthcare services.

Services covered through EOPYY may include outpatient care, laboratory and diagnostic services, hospital treatment, medication, physiotherapy and certain other healthcare services. The exact level of cover may vary according to insurance status and provider.

Why Are Private Hospitals Preferred?

Alongside the public system, Athens has a highly developed private healthcare sector.

Private hospitals, medical centres, laboratories and specialist doctors are particularly concentrated in Athens and Thessaloniki. Some private providers are contracted with EOPYY, while other services may be paid for directly or accessed through private health insurance.

For a family settling in Athens, both systems can therefore be considered.

The public system may offer a more economical option, while private healthcare may be preferred for reasons such as choosing a doctor, appointment convenience or access to particular services.

There is no single right approach. A family’s insurance, budget and healthcare needs will determine the best fit.

Is Healthcare Easy to Access in Athens?

One advantage of Athens is the wide variety of healthcare providers available across the city.

The capital has extensive options, particularly in private hospitals, diagnostic centres and specialist doctors.

For this reason, when choosing a home, it can make sense for families with children to consider nearby healthcare services in addition to schools and metro access.

For families planning a long-term life in the city, the following four elements can be assessed together to create a more practical living environment:

• Home
• School
• Healthcare provider
• Transport

Healthcare Considerations for Golden Visa Holders

There is an important detail for third-country nationals who hold a Golden Visa.

For an investor residence-permit application, Greece requires a private health-insurance policy that covers health and safety risks in accordance with the applicable legislation. This is explicitly listed among the Golden Visa application documents by the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum. Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum: Golden Visa documentation

For this reason, holding a Golden Visa is not the same as being automatically enrolled in Greece’s public health-insurance system.

Investors should separately verify which healthcare services they can access, and under what conditions, according to their residence status and insurance arrangements.

What Should Someone Moving from Turkey Do?

Before moving to Athens, it can be very useful to prepare a small healthcare file.

Where possible, the following documents should be prepared in English—or in Greek where needed:

• A child’s vaccination records
• Details of regularly used medication
• Important medical reports
• Previous test results

It is also worth researching suitable private health insurance for the family.

If you plan to live in Athens for an extended period, it is better to assess whether the policy covers not only emergencies, but also routine doctor visits, paediatric care, dental treatment and diagnostic services.

Editor’s Note

Athens has a healthcare system in which public and private services coexist.

For Golden Visa families, health insurance is an important part of the residence process. Healthcare costs should therefore be included in the annual living budget when making an investment plan.