In 2023, citizens in Greece spent over €7.3 billion out of pocket on healthcare, representing 39% of total health expenditures, compared to the European average of 14.7%, according to ELSTAT.
At the same time, private funding for hospitals and healthcare facilities exceeded public funding. Private sector funding increased from €2.42 billion in 2022 to €2.82 billion in 2023, while public funding saw a smaller rise, from €5.79 billion to €5.98 billion.
The public share of total healthcare spending fell from 61.9% in 2022 to 60.9% in 2023, while the private share rose from 37.6% to 38.6%.
A study by the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that 11.6% of patients cannot afford the healthcare they need, while more than one in five did not receive necessary medical care, mainly due to high costs and long waiting lists.
On average, Greek citizens spend about €1,000 per year on healthcare, with one in five having private health insurance. Seventy percent of the population spends up to €2,000 annually, while 6.6% incur higher costs.
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