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Chapter 4 | The impact of the crisis on the health system and health in Greece
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Appendix 4.1
Major crisis-related events and changes in the Greek health
system, 2009–2013
Date
Event/action
2009 End of year. A series of actions on the international markets downgraded
Greece’s credit rating; borrowing costs from markets rose to unsustainable
levels
2010
January
May
It became clear that Greece needed international financial assistance to cover
its budgetary needs for the year, and bailout negotiations began
Salary cuts (12%) applied to all health care staff
Greece signs first MoU with the Troika setting out an Economic Adjustment
Programme, which included a series of measures in the health sector, focusing
especially on the reduction of public expenditure
June Further salary cuts applied to health care staff (8%)
The Kallikratis Plan, creating a more streamlined regional and municipal
structure, is implemented. Under this reorganization, regional health authorities
are expected to play a much greater role in managing and organizing human
resources in the NHS
2011
January
2011
June
November
Increased user charges introduced in outpatient departments of public
hospitals and health centres and fees for prescriptions (with exemptions
for specified vulnerable groups). An admission fee for state hospitals was
introduced (taking effect from January 2014); later repealed
Increased co-payments for medicines introduced (with exemptions for
vulnerable groups)
A positive list for medicines reintroduced, as well as a variety of policies to
promote the use of generic medicines
Mergers between hospitals owned by IKA, the largest social security agency
and by the NHS, putting them all under NHS administration. A further process
of planned hospital mergers and closures got underway, but with little
discernible progress
The newly established EOPYY began operation as the country’s main body
coordinating primary care and health care reimbursement
The health divisions of the main social health insurance funds was integrated
into the EOPYY. As part of this process, health benefit packages and
reimbursement of services by the various health insurance funds were
streamlined. Some benefits were reduced
Negotiations with the Troika over the terms of a second bailout agreement
precipitated a political crisis. George Papandreou resigned as Prime Minister
and a temporary caretaker government of national unity was formed