Healthcare in Greece for American Retirees
Healthcare in Greece
How healthcare works in Greece for a foreign resident: what the public system will and will not do for you, what private cover costs, and where the system is weak.
Greek healthcare is the weakest element of the package. The public system, ESY, suffered severe underinvestment during the debt crisis and still has staffing shortages, long waits and significant informal costs. Private care, by contrast, is good, modern and inexpensive by U.S. standards, and it is concentrated in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Access to the public system
Access requires an AMKA social security number, which is generally tied to employment or contributions. FIP holders normally do not qualify for public cover and are required to carry private insurance as a permit condition.
What private care costs
A private specialist visit is typically 50 to 90 euros. Comprehensive private insurance for a couple in their sixties commonly runs 150 to 400 euros a month. Private hospitals such as Hygeia, Metropolitan and Iaso in Athens are modern and well equipped.
What the visa requires
Private insurance valid in Greece is a condition of the FIP permit and of its renewal.
Where it is strong
Private care is inexpensive, English is widely spoken by doctors, and Athens has genuinely good hospitals. Pharmacies are excellent and pharmacists are highly trained.
Where it is weak
Public system quality and waiting times. Island healthcare is basic; anything serious means a transfer to Athens, and in winter that can be weather-dependent. This is the single most important practical reason to think hard before choosing a small island.
Medicare
Medicare does not cover you in Greece.
Healthcare in Greece: common questions
Will Medicare cover me in Greece?
No. Original Medicare does not pay for care outside the United States except in a few narrow situations. Most retirees keep premium-free Part A, make a deliberate decision on Part B based on how often they will return to the U.S. for care, and buy local or international cover.
Can I use the public system in Greece?
Access requires an AMKA social security number, which is generally tied to employment or contributions. FIP holders normally do not qualify for public cover and are required to carry private insurance as a permit condition.
What will insurance cost?
A private specialist visit is typically 50 to 90 euros. Comprehensive private insurance for a couple in their sixties commonly runs 150 to 400 euros a month. Private hospitals such as Hygeia, Metropolitan and Iaso in Athens are modern and well equipped. Private insurance valid in Greece is a condition of the FIP permit and of its renewal.
Verified Sep 7, 2026 Primary sources: migration.gov.gr, www.aade.gr, www.mfa.gr
This resource is provided free by Federal Apostille as an educational tool. It is not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Immigration rules, income thresholds, fees and processing times change frequently and often without notice, and consulates apply them differently. Always confirm current requirements with the official government source and the specific consulate that has jurisdiction over your U.S. state of residence before you act. Every figure on this site carries the date we last verified it and a link to the primary source.
