Health Care in Greece (ΕΣΥ and ΕΟΠΥΥ)

Public health care in Greece combines the National Health System (ΕΣΥ), which runs public hospitals and health centres, with the national health-care organisation EOPYY (ΕΟΠΥΥ). EOPYY pays for care from contracted doctors, laboratories and clinics. Your right to EOPYY care comes from your social insurance with e-EFKA: contributions are deducted from your pay. Your spouse and children can be covered as dependants.

Who is covered and how to enrol

• Insurance cover (ασφαλιστική ικανότητα): e-EFKA grants it to insured workers, pensioners and their dependants. Since 1 January 2020 an employee needs at least 50 working days in the previous calendar year or in the last 12 months.
• AMKA: your social security number is the key to every health service. Third-country nationals with a residence permit get it free of charge.
• Dependants: register family members with e-EFKA using their AMKA numbers and civil-status documents.
• EU travel: if you have active cover, you can get a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). It is valid in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, but it does not replace travel insurance.

Personal doctor and referrals

• Everyone aged 16 and over is invited to register with a personal doctor (προσωπικός γιατρός), a general practitioner or internist who is your first point of contact. Children are registered with a personal paediatrician.
• Register online at prosopikos.gov.gr with your TAXISnet codes and AMKA, or in person at a public primary-care unit. You can change doctor up to twice a year.
• Visits to your personal doctor are free, whether the doctor works in a public unit or has a contract with EOPYY. Free phone line for appointments and information: 1566.
• Your personal doctor refers you to specialists and for tests. You can also book appointments with EOPYY-contracted doctors on the EOPYY website.

What you pay

• Referred diagnostic tests: usually a 15% co-payment on the EOPYY price (EOPYY benefit rules, 2025). Some chronic illnesses and preventive tests are exempt. Tests in public hospitals and health centres have no co-payment.
• Private contracted laboratories: you pay an extra €1 per referral for lab tests and €3 per referral for imaging (Law 5102/2024), on top of the 15%.
• Hospital care: treatment in public hospitals is covered. In private clinics using EOPYY beds, you pay the co-payment set in EOPYY's benefit rules.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Cover depends on days of insurance. After a gap in work, or a job with few insured days, check your status with e-EFKA before you need care.
• Without an AMKA you cannot register with a personal doctor or use e-prescriptions. Get it early.
• Private doctors who have no contract with EOPYY charge their own fees, and EOPYY does not pay them.
• The EHIC is only for temporary stays in other European countries, not for moving abroad.

Official guidance: EOPYY, EOPYY: co-payment FAQ, Personal doctor FAQ, Mitos: insurance cover, Mitos: EHIC, e-EFKA