Greeks spend more money on health care compared to citizens of other member countries. This is according to an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study.
The Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) issued a report titled “Health in Greece” based on data from the OECD’s “Health at a Glance” report, according to which Greeks cover 35 percent of their health costs themselves, when the OECD member-country average is 21 percent.
Greece’s public health insurance system covers about 61 percent of health costs, compared to an OECD average of 71 percent. The remaining cost is covered by Greeks themselves (35 percent) and private insurance (4 percent).
The percentage is among the highest in the world, with India being at the highest with Indians paying 65 percent of their health costs. People in Mexico pay 41 percent of their health costs out of their own pocket, while in Russia people cover 40 percent of the expenditure. In China, citizens pay 36 percent of their health costs.
The public health insurance system in Greece covers 66 percent of hospital bills, compared to an average of 88 percent in OECD members, 62 percent of outpatient care costs (77 percent in OECD states) and 54 percent of medication costs (57 percent in OECD countries).
Greeks have no public dental care coverage, while in OECD member-states an average 29 percent of dental care costs is covered by the public health system.
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