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As an EU citizen, your right to healthcare in Greece is proven by presenting certificates of entitlement issued by the national social security body of the country in which you are insured/employed. Make sure you fully understand your healthcare rights and the procedures you must follow.
When you are travelling to Greece and need to access healthcare, you need to prove your right to treatment with a certification of entitlement in order to access health services on the same terms and conditions as the domestically insured population. Your entitlement applies to the statutory healthcare system of Greece.
Certificates of entitlement, which are accepted as proof of your right to healthcare, include the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and the S forms depending on the duration and purpose of your stay. The appropriate certificate of entitlement must be valid at the time you receive treatment.
Your rights to healthcare derive from the Regulations (EC) 883/2004 & 987/2009 for the coordination of the social security systems.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to medically necessary care in Greece if you suddenly become ill, have an accident or need treatment due to a chronic illness or pregnancy or childbirth provided that the purpose of your stay in the country is not the medical care or childbirth. By presenting your EHIC to the public health system, the medically necessary care is provided at the same price and on the same terms as the domestic insured persons in the country you are visiting.
Medically necessary care refers to medical care due to a sudden illness or injury during a temporary stay in Greece, such as vacation, business trip, family visits or studies. The necessary medical care is provided so that you don’t have to return home before the end of your scheduled stay. The treatment was by no means the original reason for your move and stay abroad.
EHIC holders have access to the Greek public healthcare system on the same terms and conditions as the domestic insured population. EHIC holders are expected to present their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and their identification card (id) or passport at the point-of-service.
In case you are not carrying a valid EHIC when you are accessing health services in Greece, you will be expected to pay. Make sure you contact your statutory health insurance service back home or the national contact point of the country where you are insured to be informed about cost reimbursement options.
In the event that you are unable to receive medically necessary treatment by using your European Health Insurance Card in the public health care system you, even if the EHIC should be accepted, you can resolve the matter by contacting the SOLVIT service of the European Commission. SOLVIT informs public authorities about the rights of people coming from another EU country and helps in problem situations.
S2 form for planned treatment in Greece
As persons insured with an EU-social security system, you have the right to travel to Greece for the purpose of accessing health care, which is referred to as planned healthcare (Article 20 of Regulation (EC) 883/2004). You always need prior authorization for planned healthcare.
With the approval of the competent statutory health insurance service, the form S2 will be issued. S2 form entitles you to receive treatment in Greece on the same terms and at the same cost as those insured in the Greek statutory health. Your statutory health insurance service will assume the costs for the treatment abroad according to the tariffsin force in Greece.
For more information on how S2 holders access the Greek statutory health system, you may contact EOPYY-International Relations at the email: d12.t2@eopyy.gov.gr.
S1 form for permanent residence in Greece
If you move to Greece and another EU-country is responsible for your medical expenses, the social security authorities will use forms to register your affiliation with the Greek public health system. The presentation of an S1 form confirms that Greece can bill the country that issued the form for your medical expenses on the same terms and conditions as the domestic insured persons.
EU citizens who are affiliated with the Greek statutory health insurance system through S1 forms are expected to have an EU-AMKA (social security number for citizens with EU-statutory health insurance) and use it at the point-of-service. For information on how and where to register as an EU-AMKA holder, you may contact the Unified Social Security body (EFKA) at the email: tm.asfikan@efka.gov.gr or EFKA-International Relations at the email: gd.international@efka.gov.gr.
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