Greeks live longer than the EU average, and private care costs a fraction of US prices. But here's the difference from Portugal that surprises retirees: on the FIP and Golden Visa routes, you generally don't get into the public system. You'll be on private insurance — plan for it.
Last verified: 8 July 2026Greece's national health system (ESY) delivers care; EOPYY is the national purchaser that pays for it; and your key to both is the AMKA, the Greek social security number. Employees and the self-employed pay contributions to e-EFKA and get public coverage for themselves and dependants. That's the wiring — and it's why the route you immigrate on decides your healthcare.
| Stage | What you need |
|---|---|
| D-visa application (FIP / digital nomad) | Travel medical insurance covering your stay — €30,000 minimum including hospitalisation and repatriation. Check your consulate's current checklist. |
| Residence permit (issue and renewal) | A private policy meeting ministry minimums for hospitalisation and outpatient care. The exact coverage floors are set by ministerial decision — we have not verified the current figures against an official page (flagged); your insurer or lawyer will know the compliant products. |
| Settled, non-working resident | Ongoing private cover. Out-of-pocket private care in Greece is cheap by US standards — many residents pay cash for routine visits and insure the catastrophic risk. |
| Working resident | e-EFKA contributions buy public coverage via EOPYY; private cover optional for speed. |
Premiums are age-rated, and market reports put new-enrolment cut-offs at many Greek and international insurers somewhere between ages 65 and 75 — these are market estimates, not regulated figures, and they vary by insurer. The practical rule is the same one we give for Portugal: if you're 60-plus and Greece is the plan, price policies before you apply for the visa, read the pre-existing-condition exclusions, and prefer policies that guarantee lifetime renewal over ones that merely enrol you.
Care quality tracks geography. Athens, Thessaloniki, and Heraklion (Crete) have the major hospitals; larger islands have decent regional hospitals; small islands run on health centres, and serious cases are evacuated by air or sea to Athens or Crete. If you have a cardiac history and your dream is a small Cycladic island, that trade-off belongs in the decision — it's a real reason many year-round retirees choose Crete, the Peloponnese, or the Athens coast over the postcard. More in Where to Live.
What the ministry minimums mean in practice, and which policy features actually matter at 65.
What happens to US Medicare abroad, and why most people keep Part A.
Which islands have real hospitals, which have clinics, and how medevac actually works.
Most visas require proof of cover before you apply. We'll match you with an expat health insurance specialist we've independently vetted for Greece. Free, no obligation.