In 2024, more than one in five citizens over 16—around 22 percent—who required medical examinations or treatment did not receive them. The reasons ranged from financial hardship and long waiting lists to lack of access to providers.
The burden falls heaviest on poorer households, who often avoid or delay medical visits altogether. Dental care is particularly out of reach, as it remains among the most expensive services. Data from Greece’s statistical authority show that nearly a quarter of the population—24.4 percent—went without necessary medical care, while among the poorest the figure reached 36 percent. Almost one in three Greeks cannot afford a dentist, and for low-income families the number rises to nearly 60 percent.
Research commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the devastating effect of what it calls “catastrophic health spending”—out-of-pocket payments so high they push families below the poverty line or deeper into deprivation. The study, conducted by Professors Michalis Hletsos and Charalambos Oikonomou, traces developments from 2008 to 2025. It finds that in 2023, 10 percent of Greek households faced catastrophic healthcare costs, compared with 7 percent in 2008. Among the poorest 20 percent of households, almost one in three was financially derailed when serious illness struck.
Older people, the unemployed, and those outside the labor market are also disproportionately affected. Medicines and outpatient services account for most of the financial strain on low-income families, while hospitalizations and dental care weigh heavily on the rest of the population.
Greece’s health system was already fragile before the financial crisis, but the years of austerity pushed it to breaking point. Severe cuts in public spending forced patients to shoulder higher costs for medicines and care, while coverage was restricted and outpatient visits capped. Although the overall situation improved somewhat in the years that followed, the poorest households have seen little relief.
