Last update:
01-Feb-2021

The financial crisis and its consequent adverse effects the Greek economy have had a major impact on the financing of the health sector. The implementation of austerity measures resulted in a 42.8% reduction in public health spending in the period 2009–2017, while a decline in household income was a key factor in reducing private health spending by 20.1% over the same period, with overall health expenditure falling by 35.6%. The Greek National Health System, which was characterized by structural problems prior to the onset of the financial crisis, was unprepared for this occurrence. The resulting need to streamline and reduce the cost of health care provided the opportunity for introduction of structural reforms to improve resource efficiency. This article analyzes the evolution of health expenditure over the period 2009–2017, according to the latest data from the Health Statistics System 2017 of the Greek Statistical Authority and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In addition, the main reforms in the health sector for this period are presented and their effectiveness in improving resource efficiency is examined. Analysis of the evolution of health financing and evaluation of the effectiveness of reforms is important in assessing their overall impact on the quality of health services.

Key words: Economic crisis, Greece, Health expenditure, Reforms.