Healthcare in Greece for retirees
Healthcare in Greece for a retiree on the FIP permit means private insurance that meets legal minimums, at the first application and at every renewal.
The hospitals retirees use, what insurance does and does not cover. Checked against official and hospital sources on Oct 8, 2026.
- Life expectancy
- 81.8 years US 78.9. World Bank, 2024
- Doctors
- 6.6 per 1,000 US 3.7. World Bank, 2022
- Health spending
- $1,963/person Per year; US $13,473. World Bank, 2023
- Paid out of pocket
- 34.3% Of all health spending; US 10.9%. World Bank, 2023
Hospitals retirees use in Greece
Athens
HYGEIA Hospital
- First hospital in Greece accredited by Joint Commission International
- 18 operating rooms and 165 patient rooms
- International patient service
HYGEIA. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Piraeus
Metropolitan Hospital
- Emergency department open 24/7
- More than 50 departments, with robotic surgery
- International patients department
Metropolitan Hospital. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Thessaloniki
Interbalkan Medical Center
- Part of the Athens Medical Group
- Robotic surgery and endoscopic heart surgery
- Orthopaedic department on call around the clock
Athens Medical Group. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Heraklion
Creta InterClinic
- 65 beds and 5 ICU beds, 3 operating theatres
- 24-hour medical assistance
- Multilingual staff for foreign patients
Creta InterClinic. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
A residence permit needs full health cover for the same risks covered for Greek citizens, either through a Greek social insurance fund or, where the law allows it, a private policy. On the financially independent permit you cannot work, so you do not pay into a Greek fund: the permit asks for a private policy at the first application and at every renewal. A foreign resident who draws a pension from a Greek public fund shows active Greek insurance cover instead.
Paying for care in Greece
34.3% of health spending in Greece is paid directly by patients, about 3 times the US share, so plan how you will pay before you move.
Retirees use either an international health plan, which can also cover care at home and in other countries, or a local plan from an insurer in Greece, which costs less but covers care there only. Prices depend on age and on the insurer's terms for existing conditions; compare written quotes.
If you are on Medicare
Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States; the exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer to your US home than the nearest US hospital.
Medicare.gov. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Healthcare questions
Does Medicare cover me in Greece?
Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the United States; the exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer to your US home than the nearest US hospital. Plan on private insurance or paying directly for care in Greece.
Do I need health insurance for the FIP visa?
The FIP permit needs private health insurance, bought abroad with cover that names your stay in Greece or bought in Greece. It must cover at least €10,000 a year of hospital care, €1,500 of medical and pharmacy costs and €15,000 for permanent disability from an accident, with a copayment of no more than 20%. Policies with exclusions or special add-on terms are refused.
How much of the bill do people pay themselves?
In Greece, 34.3% of all health spending is paid out of pocket, against 10.9% in the US (World Bank, 2023).
What health insurance do Americans need to live in Greece?
For the FIP permit, a private policy, from abroad or from Greece, that covers your stay in Greece with at least €10,000 a year for hospital care, €1,500 for medical and pharmacy costs and €15,000 for accident disability, a copayment of at most 20% and no exclusions.
Can a retiree use public healthcare in Greece?
Public cover comes through a Greek social insurance fund. On the FIP permit you cannot work, so you do not pay into one, and the permit asks for a private policy at the first application and at every renewal.
Which private hospitals serve foreign patients in Greece?
In Athens, HYGEIA in Marousi, the first hospital in Greece accredited by Joint Commission International, and Metropolitan Hospital in Neo Faliro, both with international patient services. Creta InterClinic in Heraklion has multilingual staff for foreign patients.
