National Insurance IKA & EOPYY

  • EU Reciprocal Health Care
  • AMKA
  • Working & Paying IKA Insurance
  • Obtaining an IKA Health Book
  • The National Organisation for Healthcare Provision (EOPYY) is Greece’s state-owned health insurer, providing health cover for IKA and OAEE.

    Reciprocal IKA Insurance for Health Care for EU Citizens

    Electronic Health Cards

    The electronic European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) provides health insurance abroad for visitors and travelers within the EU. You can apply for a card online at www.ehic.org.uk. When you need to see a doctor or dentist in Greece just go along to a local IKA office (The Social Insurance Foundation) with your EHIC card to make an appointment. You can see an IKA / EOPYY registered GP or specialist free of charge, and IKA prescriptions may be issued by them.

    Officially the health card is only valid for short term visitors and travellers who are normally resident in another EU country.

    Pensioners

    Pensioners who intend to take up residence in Greece and who are entitled to free medical treatment in the United Kingdom or other EU country, also enjoy a similar entitlement in Greece. They should produce to their local IKA office form S1 (previously E121) which is issued by their local Department of Health Office in the United Kingdom and they will be issued with an IKA health book.

    Unemployed

    A person coming to look for work in Greece, who was unemployed in the UK or other EU country, is entitled to free medical treatment in Greece if he/she produces to their local IKA office. In the UK this is also issued by the local Department of Health Office. In both the above cases IKA will exchange the form for a medical booklet.

    AMKA

    AMKA (Αριθμός Μητρώου Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης - Social Security Number) is essentially the new Greek unified national insurance number for those living in Greece - employers, employees, pensioners plus dependent members of their families are required to obtain one.

    AMKA replaces the registration number Αριθμό Μητρώου (ΑΜ) so far issued by insurers to the insured persons and pensioners. The 13 different National Insurance services of Greece (IKA, OAEE, TAXI, OGA etc) have until now all issued their own AM numbers. AMKA will unify the National Insurance numbers.

    IT IS COMPULSORY TO OBTAIN AN INDIVIDUAL AMKA NUMBER FOR ALL PERSONS REGISTERED AS LIVING AND LEGALLY WORKING IN GREECE, INCLUDING AN INDIVIDUAL AMKA NUMBER FOR ALL CHILDREN, OF ALL AGES.

    According to information given by the AMKA Helpline, those Non-Greek citizens who are not registered in Greece's social security system are NOT required to obtain AMKA (e.g. those who live in Greece part time but are still primarily registered in their home country, or those who do not work and pay contributions in Greece and who have private medical insurance and do not yet qualify for a pension and health cover in Greece.)

    How to get an AMKA number

    If you are unsure whether or not you already have an AMKA number you can also try checking online by filling in the form at www.amka.gr (although the form seems to have a few glitches).

    There is also an AMKA helpline on telephone number 11131

    Don't forget that even if you have an AMKA number yourself, you will still have to apply for a separate AMKA number for any children and other dependents.

    Go to your local KEP office (Citizens Advice) to apply for any AMKA number with the following documents for each family member:

    1) Passport or Greek ID card.

    2) Health book

    3) You may require a civil status document - officially translated into Greek, where the passport or documents do not contain the required information for the inventory. This from the AMKA website. Basically the extra information they need is your father and mother's names. Showing a tax return, for example, with this information should suffice.

    4) For dependent children - a copy of the birth certificate.

    AMKA CARD

    An AMKA card will be centrally issued and sent to your postal address once you have obtained an AMKA number.

    Employees

    If you are employed in Greece your employer should be making National Insurance contributions for you, usually IKA, although there are others such as 'TAXI' for hotel employees - the information here is with regards to IKA as this is the most common.

    IKA contributions are expensive (around 30% of your salary) and until fairly recently many employers have tended to exploit workers by not paying their National Insurance. However the authorities are keen to stamp out this practice and the majority of employers nowadays go by the book as they are not prepared to risk hefty fines.

    Contributions should be made monthly by an employer. If you are employed full time you will have around 25 days 'stamps' (contributions, day’s work) per month. IKA send statements (via your employer, for you) with your number of days IKA paid per 3 month period, in arrears. Your local IKA office also has a computer record or your stamps and you can ask for a print-out copy at any time.

    Obtaining an IKA Health Book

    A minimum of 50 days ΙΚΑ payments are required to apply for an IKA health book, which entitles you to free medical care and reduced price prescriptions.

    Once you have acquired 50 days 'stamps' you can obtain your IKA health book immediately by taking along your statements from IKA showing your contributions (or a validation from your employer's accountant) together with 3 photos and your passport to the IKA office and one should be issued to you on the spot. The health book is valid yearly from March 1st to February 28th of the following year, and must be renewed yearly in February. You must have a minimum of 50 days IKA contributions in each year to renew the health book for the following year.

    Don't fit in the categories above?

    If you do not fit into any of the categories above, or if you are a non EU citizen and not covered by the reciprocal agreement, you will need to pay for medical treatment in Greece. It's advisable that you take out private medical insurance for health cover in Greece.

    Seasonal workers and others may wish to opt for extra cover such as medical transportation home in the event of an illness or accident, or treatment in private medical centers in Crete. There are policies available for short term medical insurance, as well as yearly policies, with various companies.