Medical Care in Greece

Medical Care in Greece

IKA is the largest Social Security Organisation, which covers the expenses for medical care in Greece. The Greek social security institute (IKA-ETAM) will be able to provide information:

Information is also available online from IKA-ETAM’s website.  You can find contact details there of IKA-ETAM’s local offices all over Greece. Try to consult an IKA-ETAM doctor or dentist to receive treatment for free or at a reduced cost. Show your EHIC on the day. You may also consult a private doctor or dentist but you will have to present your EHIC and pay all the charges up-front. You can then claim back the charges later from the Greek authorities. So keep all your receipts. If you are referred to a public hospital by an IKA-ETAM doctor, ask for a “ticket”, which is your proof of entitlement to healthcare within the scheme. If you do not have a “ticket”, you must present your EHIC on admission. Ask the hospital administration to contact the IKA office.

Social Security in Greece for UK Pensioneers

If you receive a UK state retirement pension or long-term incapacity benefit, you may be entitled to state-funded healthcare paid for by the UK. You’ll need to apply for form S1 from the International Pension Centre (tel: 0191 218 7777). You need to register your S1 with the Greek IKA. This entitles you to an EHIC issued by the UK. This allows access to medical care in Greece and all the other EEA countries – including Britain.

You will be charged a 25% patient charge for IKA-ETAM doctor prescriptions. Emergency ambulance services are generally free. However, you might be asked to pay a small contribution for routine transport. The hospital notes may not follow you around as they do in the UK – YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR OWN ACCURATE AND DETAILED RECORDS! One good thing for us is that many doctors speak good English and are happy to practise it.

The NHS website gives excellent advice and up-to-date information.

Pensions in Greece

If you are a pensioner, you need to inform the IPC (International Pension Centre) to prevent problems with your pension payments (tel. 0191 218 7777).

Greece has double taxation agreements with the UK so you will not be taxed twice – provided you ensure that the tax offices are aware of your circumstances. You can arrange to have your pension paid directly into your Greek bank account, and still benefit from the increases as if you still lived in Britain. Contact HMRC and your pension providers well before you leave the UK.

If you’ve only worked, lived or are working abroad then you must claim the state pension through the relevant authority of the country where you currently live and have worked in.

Check the prices of removals to Greece.