As you no doubt know, walking in Greece is one of the most enjoyable things you can do – I will be doing this on Corfu and hopefully Crete on my next visit and have a couple of wonderful books on the subject to review too so watch this space!
Some of the loveliest parts of Greece are those dedicated to the preservation of the flora and fauna. These areas would provide endless interest during holidays or indeed if you chose to live nearby. Less than 1 in 40 of Greece's islands is occupied, which in many cases means that nature has been left undisturbed and many rare animals and birds have too. Thousands of migratory birds use the islands as a stop-over point annually. They lie between Africa and Northern Europe and a huge variety of birds can be seen – a veritable bird-watchers paradise.
Incidentally – a quick tip here: get yourself a bird identification book in Athens if you are passing through. It may not always be possible to get your hands on one in smaller towns.
Here are just a few of the national parks:
Prespa Lakes:
This is in the northwest mainland and includes the two lakes of Mikri and Megalo. Statistics show that over 260 species of birds have been recorded here, including pelicans, storks and herons. The park also has brown bears, grey wolves, lynx and otto. I must say that it is one of my life’s ambitions to see wolves – perhaps I will include this in my next visit.
Pindos National Park:
This park is near the Pindos Mountains in North West Greece. Eagles, brown bears, wolves, wild cat, boar and red squirrels have been spotted here.
Vikos Gorge:
This is part of the Vikos-Aoos National Park in North West Greece. Here the concentration is mainly on flora, with maple, cherry and elm trees plus a huge variety of flowers and butterflies. The recommended time to visit is between April and November – any later and you risk snow.
Mount Parnassus:
Much of this mountain is part of a national park and has a wonderful variety of both flora and fauna. Birds abound and birdwatchers are in their element here.
Dadia Forest:
A stunning 36 out of 38 of Europe's predatory bird species have been observed here, including vultures, eagles and owls. The park is quite near the Turkish border.
Mount Olympus National Park:
Flowers such as orchids, tulips, violets and lilies and the many accompanying butterflies abound here. Also you may see deer and wild boar plus wild cats and squirrels.
Samaria Gorge:
I have driven alongside this gorge in Crete and can testify to it being a lovely spot. Along the 16 km walk you can see endless bird life, fauna and flora. Walks are arranged and include walks for most ages.
These are just a few of the many natural glories of Greece that you may want to check out next time you visit Greece. Enjoy!
Incidentally, I want to pass on an urgent warning: I recently spoke to a very annoyed and disillusioned GBG reader who has bought land in Greece. His purchase was a disaster as the land is not big enough to build on, although he was assured by his lawyer that it was. His advice: ALWAYS have a GPS survey done and get the borders of your property agreed to - and signed off by all your neighbours – BEFORE you sign anything or put down deposits.
We always recommend that you get yourself an independent lawyer, which this buyer did…but…the lawyer didn’t physically go out and actually measure the land. Pleas bear this in mind if you are going to be buying land won’t you?
All the best in the next week…
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
Showing posts with label Greek economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greek economy. Show all posts
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
The Greek Medical System and Diabetes
A reader wanted to know how the NHS equivalent in Greece would handle their diabetes– this is what I was able to find out.
Greece’s public health system (IKA) provides free or low cost health care for those who contribute to Greek social security, plus their families and retirees (including those from other EU countries). Members are charged 25 per cent of the actual cost of prescriptions, although there are higher charges for non-essential medicines plus substantial contributions for many services, including spectacles, dentures and other treatment.
Access to treatment for people with diabetes in terms of reimbursement remains satisfactory according to practitioners working in this field. Medicines and medical appliances for diabetes are provided free of charge and patients are covered for all new insulin injections if they are covered by IKA or a medical insurance policy.
Any medication needed for the treatment of adult diabetes may be prescribed by any licensed doctor (insulin included). Generally the diabetes outpatient units operate two or three days a week. Blood glucose level as well as HBA1c may be tested in most of the secondary care facilities and their cost is covered by the system. All the tests related to diabetes and its secondary complications are covered by IKA. Sufferers with secondary complications are referred to specialists.
All major types and brands of medicine are on the Greek market. Any new medical product is offered if that product has already been approved and licensed on the EU market. The medication for diabetes management (insulins, oral medication and Glucagon) is fully compensated by all the insurance companies and the IKA, along with the necessary dispensing devices. Insulin pumps are 100% covered by the insurance companies.
However, Novo Nordisk, a Danish company and the world's leading supplier of insulin for diabetics is withdrawing a state-of-the-art medication from Greece. It has objected to a government decree ordering a 25% price cut in all medicines and a spokesman for the Danish pharmaceutical company said it was withdrawing the pen injection product from the Greek market because the price cut would force its business in Greece to run at a loss. More than 50,000 Greeks with diabetes use Novo Nordisk's product, which is injected via an easy-to-use fountain pen-like device.
Then there was a scandalous article in To Vima, one of Greece's most respected newspapers, saying that the nation's largest government health insurance provider would no longer pay for special footwear for diabetes patients. “Amputation is cheaper”, says the Benefits Division of the state insurance provider. All in all, it remains to be seen how the Greek medical system will perform in these disastrously bad financial times, but comments like this are not reassuring.
If you are planning to move to Greece and you suffer from this condition you would do well to make sure that emergency medical care is within easy reach of your home. Some islands are as far as 250 km away from the nearest specialist treatment centre and it might be very difficult to travel in bad weather if you have an emergency, especially if you are on an island.
Just to finish off, a few weeks ago I wrote about biking in Greece – I had a very amusing if rather worrisome comment from a reader. He says, and I quote:
“Interesting subject. It’s pleasing to know the Greek government is concerned about its visitors. Let’s hope they are as concerned about their indigenous bikers too! We have seen speeding to access, no lights, no helmets, number of people on a bike(Mum, Dad, two children, baby and a dog is our observed record), a sheep, an air conditioning unit, various length of planks and poles (7 metres is record)numerous boxes precariously positioned on passenger seat and between legs - just to name a but a few observations. From a concerned visitor!”
Point taken – have a care out there!
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
Greece’s public health system (IKA) provides free or low cost health care for those who contribute to Greek social security, plus their families and retirees (including those from other EU countries). Members are charged 25 per cent of the actual cost of prescriptions, although there are higher charges for non-essential medicines plus substantial contributions for many services, including spectacles, dentures and other treatment.
Access to treatment for people with diabetes in terms of reimbursement remains satisfactory according to practitioners working in this field. Medicines and medical appliances for diabetes are provided free of charge and patients are covered for all new insulin injections if they are covered by IKA or a medical insurance policy.
Any medication needed for the treatment of adult diabetes may be prescribed by any licensed doctor (insulin included). Generally the diabetes outpatient units operate two or three days a week. Blood glucose level as well as HBA1c may be tested in most of the secondary care facilities and their cost is covered by the system. All the tests related to diabetes and its secondary complications are covered by IKA. Sufferers with secondary complications are referred to specialists.
All major types and brands of medicine are on the Greek market. Any new medical product is offered if that product has already been approved and licensed on the EU market. The medication for diabetes management (insulins, oral medication and Glucagon) is fully compensated by all the insurance companies and the IKA, along with the necessary dispensing devices. Insulin pumps are 100% covered by the insurance companies.
However, Novo Nordisk, a Danish company and the world's leading supplier of insulin for diabetics is withdrawing a state-of-the-art medication from Greece. It has objected to a government decree ordering a 25% price cut in all medicines and a spokesman for the Danish pharmaceutical company said it was withdrawing the pen injection product from the Greek market because the price cut would force its business in Greece to run at a loss. More than 50,000 Greeks with diabetes use Novo Nordisk's product, which is injected via an easy-to-use fountain pen-like device.
Then there was a scandalous article in To Vima, one of Greece's most respected newspapers, saying that the nation's largest government health insurance provider would no longer pay for special footwear for diabetes patients. “Amputation is cheaper”, says the Benefits Division of the state insurance provider. All in all, it remains to be seen how the Greek medical system will perform in these disastrously bad financial times, but comments like this are not reassuring.
If you are planning to move to Greece and you suffer from this condition you would do well to make sure that emergency medical care is within easy reach of your home. Some islands are as far as 250 km away from the nearest specialist treatment centre and it might be very difficult to travel in bad weather if you have an emergency, especially if you are on an island.
Just to finish off, a few weeks ago I wrote about biking in Greece – I had a very amusing if rather worrisome comment from a reader. He says, and I quote:
“Interesting subject. It’s pleasing to know the Greek government is concerned about its visitors. Let’s hope they are as concerned about their indigenous bikers too! We have seen speeding to access, no lights, no helmets, number of people on a bike(Mum, Dad, two children, baby and a dog is our observed record), a sheep, an air conditioning unit, various length of planks and poles (7 metres is record)numerous boxes precariously positioned on passenger seat and between legs - just to name a but a few observations. From a concerned visitor!”
Point taken – have a care out there!
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
Friday, 30 July 2010
Is Greece Encouraging Tourism?
Hello again.
Have you seen the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V & A recently? I haven’t, but I did go along to a talk by her friend and biographer Donald Spoto. He gave a fascinating insight into the real person behind the iconic image – it was so interesting. There’s always something to do in London isn’t there?
Thinking about my blog for this week, I popped on to Internet, just in case there was something I thought we all really should know about in Greece. There I was struck by the absurdity of it all. In bold headlines, on a news-driven site was the following:
“A new advertising campaign supporting Greek tourism has been created…The three different spots of the campaign first appeared on television on July 20th. There are lyrics about Greece from famous poets such as Odysseus Elytis, Yannis Ritsos and Lorentzos Mavilis. The campaign was presented in a press conference in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on July 26th.”
So they are trying to encourage tourism. And right next to that, in smaller print, was: “Queues at petrol stations”; this as consumers feared petrol shortages as a result of truck owners’ strikes. Then there was “Delays and cancellations of flights”; all about domestic and international flights in and out of Greece facing serious delays because of an air traffic controllers’ 24 hour strike – this despite it being declared illegal by the courts. Those involved said that they are seeking higher wages and the recruitment of more staff and that they will continue with their strike actions. Then there was mention of the dockside workers strikes too…
Now, I am by no means an expert on these matters, but here’s a rather naive question. If people stop visiting Greece altogether, after being endlessly irritated and inconvenienced by disrupted itineraries while on holiday in Greece, will these workers have jobs AT ALL? I mean, the Acropolis was closed recently because the ticket office was on strike…go figure. The Greek Association of Tourism and Travel Agents (HATTA) warned that continuing strikes “would be the nail in the coffin of what is left of the Greek tourism sector this year.” I hope someone is listening out there and that some consideration is given to that money generator, the tourist – i.e. you and me!
I hastily point out that I am talking about a country I really love, one that I would adore to live in and, in fact, have made it my job to encourage people both to work and to buy property in. But…get real. Times are hard, and we all need to get our heads down and work hard to get out of this recession. Is this the right way to go about it? Personally, I think not.
However, I have to say that I am thinking of going over to Greece soon. I will go with a flexible attitude and I will definitely get rebated hotel/B & B prices. I believe Athens is not nearly as crowded as usual and that tours to places on the mainland like Delphi and Sunion are not nearly as fully booked as they usually are this time of the year so that at least is a plus.
Also, if you are planning to view properties I would suggest things have played right into your hands. At this time of the year it is often impossible to get an appointment with an estate agent – I suggest that you may just get lucky this summer! Also it will give you a good idea of accessibility during the hard times – always a good idea. You can suss out how your area has been affected by the recent strikes and upheavals – something that it may be wise to bear in mind for the future.
Do let me know if you plan to go - and if so where. Or if you have been already, how did you find things?
All for this week – talk soon!!
Carol.
Have you seen the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V & A recently? I haven’t, but I did go along to a talk by her friend and biographer Donald Spoto. He gave a fascinating insight into the real person behind the iconic image – it was so interesting. There’s always something to do in London isn’t there?
Thinking about my blog for this week, I popped on to Internet, just in case there was something I thought we all really should know about in Greece. There I was struck by the absurdity of it all. In bold headlines, on a news-driven site was the following:
“A new advertising campaign supporting Greek tourism has been created…The three different spots of the campaign first appeared on television on July 20th. There are lyrics about Greece from famous poets such as Odysseus Elytis, Yannis Ritsos and Lorentzos Mavilis. The campaign was presented in a press conference in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on July 26th.”
So they are trying to encourage tourism. And right next to that, in smaller print, was: “Queues at petrol stations”; this as consumers feared petrol shortages as a result of truck owners’ strikes. Then there was “Delays and cancellations of flights”; all about domestic and international flights in and out of Greece facing serious delays because of an air traffic controllers’ 24 hour strike – this despite it being declared illegal by the courts. Those involved said that they are seeking higher wages and the recruitment of more staff and that they will continue with their strike actions. Then there was mention of the dockside workers strikes too…
Now, I am by no means an expert on these matters, but here’s a rather naive question. If people stop visiting Greece altogether, after being endlessly irritated and inconvenienced by disrupted itineraries while on holiday in Greece, will these workers have jobs AT ALL? I mean, the Acropolis was closed recently because the ticket office was on strike…go figure. The Greek Association of Tourism and Travel Agents (HATTA) warned that continuing strikes “would be the nail in the coffin of what is left of the Greek tourism sector this year.” I hope someone is listening out there and that some consideration is given to that money generator, the tourist – i.e. you and me!
I hastily point out that I am talking about a country I really love, one that I would adore to live in and, in fact, have made it my job to encourage people both to work and to buy property in. But…get real. Times are hard, and we all need to get our heads down and work hard to get out of this recession. Is this the right way to go about it? Personally, I think not.
However, I have to say that I am thinking of going over to Greece soon. I will go with a flexible attitude and I will definitely get rebated hotel/B & B prices. I believe Athens is not nearly as crowded as usual and that tours to places on the mainland like Delphi and Sunion are not nearly as fully booked as they usually are this time of the year so that at least is a plus.
Also, if you are planning to view properties I would suggest things have played right into your hands. At this time of the year it is often impossible to get an appointment with an estate agent – I suggest that you may just get lucky this summer! Also it will give you a good idea of accessibility during the hard times – always a good idea. You can suss out how your area has been affected by the recent strikes and upheavals – something that it may be wise to bear in mind for the future.
Do let me know if you plan to go - and if so where. Or if you have been already, how did you find things?
All for this week – talk soon!!
Carol.
Friday, 28 May 2010
Find a good and trustworthy developer!
Hello there. How are things going with you? Still planning on buying abroad?
Chatting to people about buying property abroad, I find that one of the main concerns is how to chose a good and trustworthy developer if you are buying off-plan.
This problem has been made worse by the current economic climate – many developers are going under, and sometimes taking unwary buyers and their dreams with them. It is therefore absolutely crucial that you have a really god look at the credentials of your developer before signing on the dotted line..
An email that I received recently bears this out. It tells of the endless problems encountered by one of the OGC readers who had failed to do his homework – and he really paid a heavy price, both in financial terms and in the stress that such things bring with them.
The property he bought was about one third completed at the time he paid his deposit to the developer. All went well until the house was ready for the final finish and, at this point, the developer sacked the builders and employed his own low paid and unskilled labour. The result was that the finish was very poor and, although the complex was completed, only 7 or 8 properties have been sold to date.
Financial penalties for late completion were not paid although there was a six month delay. The unhappy owner only discovered when it came time to address this problem that his solicitor also represents the developer!
All this could so easily have been avoided. I am going to outline a few essential and non-negotiable points for you to think about:
- If possible, move into rented accommodation nearby BEFORE you plan to buy and chat to locals about the developer/s you are thinking of buying through
- Search the Internet for expat forums on your town or city of choice. Some highlight poor practices and name and shame shoddy developers
- Google in the name of the developer you are thinking of using and see what comes up
- Get a developer that is a member of a regulatory body if at all possible
- Consider using a reputable estate agent instead of going to the developer direct – to protect themselves they will have done the checks
- Insist on visiting a couple of the developers’ previous projects and on talking to previous buyers
- Retain a solicitor independent of the developer so that there can be no conflict of interest
- Make sure your solicitor draws up a contract that protects YOU
- Make absolutely sure that the developer’s financial staged payments (stipulated in the contract of sale) require you to pay according to completion of build stages and not simply by date
- Buy a bond or take out insurance to protect yourself if the developer goes bust or there are any major issues with the build
- Take your time and refused to be rushed
If you follow the above to the letter the chances of anything going wrong will be dramatically reduced.
Chatting to someone in the property business abroad, she told me that she was stunned by how many people simply abandoned all the normal checks and balances that they would apply if they were buying property in the UK – don’t be one of them!
Speak to you soon – and I’d love to hear from you.
Take care until next Friday – warm wishes,
Carol and Kim
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/
Chatting to people about buying property abroad, I find that one of the main concerns is how to chose a good and trustworthy developer if you are buying off-plan.
This problem has been made worse by the current economic climate – many developers are going under, and sometimes taking unwary buyers and their dreams with them. It is therefore absolutely crucial that you have a really god look at the credentials of your developer before signing on the dotted line..
An email that I received recently bears this out. It tells of the endless problems encountered by one of the OGC readers who had failed to do his homework – and he really paid a heavy price, both in financial terms and in the stress that such things bring with them.
The property he bought was about one third completed at the time he paid his deposit to the developer. All went well until the house was ready for the final finish and, at this point, the developer sacked the builders and employed his own low paid and unskilled labour. The result was that the finish was very poor and, although the complex was completed, only 7 or 8 properties have been sold to date.
Financial penalties for late completion were not paid although there was a six month delay. The unhappy owner only discovered when it came time to address this problem that his solicitor also represents the developer!
All this could so easily have been avoided. I am going to outline a few essential and non-negotiable points for you to think about:
- If possible, move into rented accommodation nearby BEFORE you plan to buy and chat to locals about the developer/s you are thinking of buying through
- Search the Internet for expat forums on your town or city of choice. Some highlight poor practices and name and shame shoddy developers
- Google in the name of the developer you are thinking of using and see what comes up
- Get a developer that is a member of a regulatory body if at all possible
- Consider using a reputable estate agent instead of going to the developer direct – to protect themselves they will have done the checks
- Insist on visiting a couple of the developers’ previous projects and on talking to previous buyers
- Retain a solicitor independent of the developer so that there can be no conflict of interest
- Make sure your solicitor draws up a contract that protects YOU
- Make absolutely sure that the developer’s financial staged payments (stipulated in the contract of sale) require you to pay according to completion of build stages and not simply by date
- Buy a bond or take out insurance to protect yourself if the developer goes bust or there are any major issues with the build
- Take your time and refused to be rushed
If you follow the above to the letter the chances of anything going wrong will be dramatically reduced.
Chatting to someone in the property business abroad, she told me that she was stunned by how many people simply abandoned all the normal checks and balances that they would apply if they were buying property in the UK – don’t be one of them!
Speak to you soon – and I’d love to hear from you.
Take care until next Friday – warm wishes,
Carol and Kim
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/
Friday, 21 May 2010
Owner of all you survey…!
Hello there – how are you? Peering out of my window it is gloomy and overcast: I cannot get over how quickly the weather changes here. One moment it’s blue, clear skies and the next – rain! Oh well… I guess that’s why people buy homes abroad!
I have been working for the Overseas Guides Company for a number of years now – I must have spoken to hundreds of people buying property abroad; most of them have gone on to find the home of their dreams and have absolutely no regrets. However, I do sometimes hear of disasters and, on analysing the problem, it all comes down to one thing: they have not checked the property and its surroundings adequately before signing on the dotted line.
Two cases spring to mind here. I received an email a while back from a couple who had purchased a farm from an estate agent and were told that it was just over 2 hectares in size.
All the official paperwork confirmed this. To their enormous surprise, when measuring the land some while later, they found it was only 1 hectare. The estate agents deny liability, saying that the official papers confirm that the land is 2 hectares and that they go by the official figures. Needless to say, their query to me was how they should set about recovering half their money.
Hindsight is 20/20, but there is only one way to make sure that this does not happen to you and that is to get an independent surveyor, or an architect licensed to survey, to perform a survey and make their findings a condition of sale. You also need to make sure upfront exactly what will be included in the survey and demand a full report on all findings. A full structural survey should include the condition of all buildings, particularly the foundations, roofs, walls and woodwork; plumbing, electricity and heating systems; and anything else you want inspected such as a swimming pool plus its equipment…and the size of the land of course.
Sadly, the only route for this unfortunate buyer to go is probably to litigate, but this can take a very long time, may cost a lot of money and who knows if the owner is still around? And still has the money to reimburse? Or will even be found guilty - once all the contracts are signed you pretty much accept the property as is – ‘Voetstoets’ is the term used in South Africa. The seller may even have sold in good faith and not be aware of the discrepancy… a really thorny issue, isn’t it?
The second disaster I was made aware of was an apartment with spectacular sea views, bought by an older couple as a holiday bolthole for their grandchildren. Trouble was, when they arrived at their holiday apartment after an absence of a few months, an enormous block of flats had been erected, totally blocking their magnificent view of the sea.
Strangely enough, some months before I had planned a trip to Crete, in Greece, and one of the OGC readers had asked me to have a peep at a sea facing apartment he was thinking of buying. I asked the agent I happened to be travelling around the island with, and his immediate reply was that his company were building a huge block in front of it…Needless to say – one lucky escape!
Make sure you are not caught out in this way - a professional survey may cost a bit but it really is money well spent.
Let me know how your plans are coming along. Have you heard any stories where a survey saved the day – or perhaps the reverse, where disaster struck because no survey was completed?
Take care and see you next week. Best regards, Carol (and Kim)
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com
I have been working for the Overseas Guides Company for a number of years now – I must have spoken to hundreds of people buying property abroad; most of them have gone on to find the home of their dreams and have absolutely no regrets. However, I do sometimes hear of disasters and, on analysing the problem, it all comes down to one thing: they have not checked the property and its surroundings adequately before signing on the dotted line.
Two cases spring to mind here. I received an email a while back from a couple who had purchased a farm from an estate agent and were told that it was just over 2 hectares in size.
All the official paperwork confirmed this. To their enormous surprise, when measuring the land some while later, they found it was only 1 hectare. The estate agents deny liability, saying that the official papers confirm that the land is 2 hectares and that they go by the official figures. Needless to say, their query to me was how they should set about recovering half their money.
Hindsight is 20/20, but there is only one way to make sure that this does not happen to you and that is to get an independent surveyor, or an architect licensed to survey, to perform a survey and make their findings a condition of sale. You also need to make sure upfront exactly what will be included in the survey and demand a full report on all findings. A full structural survey should include the condition of all buildings, particularly the foundations, roofs, walls and woodwork; plumbing, electricity and heating systems; and anything else you want inspected such as a swimming pool plus its equipment…and the size of the land of course.
Sadly, the only route for this unfortunate buyer to go is probably to litigate, but this can take a very long time, may cost a lot of money and who knows if the owner is still around? And still has the money to reimburse? Or will even be found guilty - once all the contracts are signed you pretty much accept the property as is – ‘Voetstoets’ is the term used in South Africa. The seller may even have sold in good faith and not be aware of the discrepancy… a really thorny issue, isn’t it?
The second disaster I was made aware of was an apartment with spectacular sea views, bought by an older couple as a holiday bolthole for their grandchildren. Trouble was, when they arrived at their holiday apartment after an absence of a few months, an enormous block of flats had been erected, totally blocking their magnificent view of the sea.
Strangely enough, some months before I had planned a trip to Crete, in Greece, and one of the OGC readers had asked me to have a peep at a sea facing apartment he was thinking of buying. I asked the agent I happened to be travelling around the island with, and his immediate reply was that his company were building a huge block in front of it…Needless to say – one lucky escape!
Make sure you are not caught out in this way - a professional survey may cost a bit but it really is money well spent.
Let me know how your plans are coming along. Have you heard any stories where a survey saved the day – or perhaps the reverse, where disaster struck because no survey was completed?
Take care and see you next week. Best regards, Carol (and Kim)
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com
Friday, 14 May 2010
Information I hope you won’t need!
Looking out of my window today, it is a lovely sunny day. Can it be that summer is finally on its way?
And with the arrival of summer comes crunch time for the Greek economy. The decision to cede national sovereignty on economic and social policy in return for a 110 billion euro EU-IMF bailout was sealed with a parliamentary vote on May 6. The Pasok government was joined by opposition members in passing the package and Prime Minister Papandreou declared that his government will do everything possible to implement the agreed programme fully. Hopefully this will set the Greek economy on the path to recovery.
Are you going to Greece this summer? I am hoping to, and chatting to people who are planning to either visit or relocate to Greece I am frequently asked about the medical system there and how Greece compares to the NHS.
Comparisons, they say, are odious, but what I do recommend is that you look very carefully into the level of medical care if you are considering buying a property in Greece. Medical standards have improved considerably in recent years, but they may not be up to the standard we take for granted in the UK. Nursing care and post-hospital assistance are below what you may be used to, especially on the smaller islands and in rural areas, and people have told me that they have sometimes needed to trek all the way to Athens or Thessaloniki for expert hospital treatment.
Don’t fall hopelessly in love with a property BEFORE you have made sure that there are certain necessary medical requirements that the area can provide you with. If you have small children it’s also rather comforting to have medical help relatively close by, even if there just on holiday regularly. It is also very difficult to form a trusting relationship with your doctor if they don’t speak a word of English. Find out if there are expats living nearby and perhaps have a chat to them and find out what they think of the local medical facilities – or maybe your estate agent can help here?
Greece has a national health care system that provides free or low cost health care to residents and, as a EU member country resident, you will be treated on the same basis as a resident of Greece. Non-EU citizens should arrange private health insurance before they leave their home country; however, emergency care is provided free of charge in public hospitals to anyone, regardless of nationality.
You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK – you have to present this to get free treatment. If you choose to approach Greek practitioners/hospitals direct for private treatment, the EU Community arrangements will not apply and you will be responsible for the full cost of any treatment received.
The EHIC is available free of charge through most UK post offices or through the UK Department of Health via their website at: www.dh.gov.uk
You can contact them on 0800 555 7777.
In urgent situations, but not an emergency case, the patient may see a private specialist and will be reimbursed up to a maximum of 85% of the fee later by Idrima Kinonikon Asfalisseon (IKA). IKA is the government body that operating Greece’s National Health Care System. Waiting lists are long for non-urgent operations.
Essential dental treatment is largely free; eye treatment is also free but non-essential medicines and health-related accessories such as dentures, dental crowns and spectacles are substantially charged. Members are charged 25 per cent of the actual cost of prescriptions (pensioners pay ten per cent).
Phone 184 when the IKA facility is required, and make an appointment to see a doctor or a specialist at an IKA Centre.
If you cannot get to an IKA office before going to a hospital or first aid station, you should ask the authorities at the hospital or station for free treatment under the IKA scheme. The EHIC must be shown, so do keep this on you at all times.
In Greece you may have to make a patient contribution to the cost of your care, as do the Greeks themselves. You may be able to seek reimbursement for this cost when you are back in the UK if you are there as a visitor. It is important that you ensure that you are treated by a state healthcare provider as you will not be covered for private healthcare. You should be particularly careful if the healthcare arrangements have been made by a hotel or travel representative as they may refer you to a non-heath care doctor.
If you are going to be working permanently in Greece or are going there to retire you need to get hold of a medical booklet (or ‘iatrico vivliario’) from your local IKA office. This must be shown each time you visit a doctor or hospital. Pensioners who intend to take up residence in Greece and who are entitled to free medical treatment in the United Kingdom also enjoy this facility in Greece. They should produce their form E121, issued by their local Department of Health Office in the United Kingdom before moving to Greece, at their local IKA office.
Most foreign residents also subscribe to a complementary health insurance fund that pays the portion of medical bills not covered by social security.
If you live in a remote area of Greece that isn’t covered by a local IKA office, you’ll have to pay the cost of any medical treatment in advance and re-claim it from the nearest IKA office. However, the refund will be only a proportion of the cost (up to around 85 per cent) and you will be responsible for the balance. If you receive treatment under these circumstances, it’s necessary to obtain receipts and documentation in order to make a claim.
I hope this helps – and that you won’t need to use the information! See you soon – have a great week.
Carol
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com
And with the arrival of summer comes crunch time for the Greek economy. The decision to cede national sovereignty on economic and social policy in return for a 110 billion euro EU-IMF bailout was sealed with a parliamentary vote on May 6. The Pasok government was joined by opposition members in passing the package and Prime Minister Papandreou declared that his government will do everything possible to implement the agreed programme fully. Hopefully this will set the Greek economy on the path to recovery.
Are you going to Greece this summer? I am hoping to, and chatting to people who are planning to either visit or relocate to Greece I am frequently asked about the medical system there and how Greece compares to the NHS.
Comparisons, they say, are odious, but what I do recommend is that you look very carefully into the level of medical care if you are considering buying a property in Greece. Medical standards have improved considerably in recent years, but they may not be up to the standard we take for granted in the UK. Nursing care and post-hospital assistance are below what you may be used to, especially on the smaller islands and in rural areas, and people have told me that they have sometimes needed to trek all the way to Athens or Thessaloniki for expert hospital treatment.
Don’t fall hopelessly in love with a property BEFORE you have made sure that there are certain necessary medical requirements that the area can provide you with. If you have small children it’s also rather comforting to have medical help relatively close by, even if there just on holiday regularly. It is also very difficult to form a trusting relationship with your doctor if they don’t speak a word of English. Find out if there are expats living nearby and perhaps have a chat to them and find out what they think of the local medical facilities – or maybe your estate agent can help here?
Greece has a national health care system that provides free or low cost health care to residents and, as a EU member country resident, you will be treated on the same basis as a resident of Greece. Non-EU citizens should arrange private health insurance before they leave their home country; however, emergency care is provided free of charge in public hospitals to anyone, regardless of nationality.
You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK – you have to present this to get free treatment. If you choose to approach Greek practitioners/hospitals direct for private treatment, the EU Community arrangements will not apply and you will be responsible for the full cost of any treatment received.
The EHIC is available free of charge through most UK post offices or through the UK Department of Health via their website at: www.dh.gov.uk
You can contact them on 0800 555 7777.
In urgent situations, but not an emergency case, the patient may see a private specialist and will be reimbursed up to a maximum of 85% of the fee later by Idrima Kinonikon Asfalisseon (IKA). IKA is the government body that operating Greece’s National Health Care System. Waiting lists are long for non-urgent operations.
Essential dental treatment is largely free; eye treatment is also free but non-essential medicines and health-related accessories such as dentures, dental crowns and spectacles are substantially charged. Members are charged 25 per cent of the actual cost of prescriptions (pensioners pay ten per cent).
Phone 184 when the IKA facility is required, and make an appointment to see a doctor or a specialist at an IKA Centre.
If you cannot get to an IKA office before going to a hospital or first aid station, you should ask the authorities at the hospital or station for free treatment under the IKA scheme. The EHIC must be shown, so do keep this on you at all times.
In Greece you may have to make a patient contribution to the cost of your care, as do the Greeks themselves. You may be able to seek reimbursement for this cost when you are back in the UK if you are there as a visitor. It is important that you ensure that you are treated by a state healthcare provider as you will not be covered for private healthcare. You should be particularly careful if the healthcare arrangements have been made by a hotel or travel representative as they may refer you to a non-heath care doctor.
If you are going to be working permanently in Greece or are going there to retire you need to get hold of a medical booklet (or ‘iatrico vivliario’) from your local IKA office. This must be shown each time you visit a doctor or hospital. Pensioners who intend to take up residence in Greece and who are entitled to free medical treatment in the United Kingdom also enjoy this facility in Greece. They should produce their form E121, issued by their local Department of Health Office in the United Kingdom before moving to Greece, at their local IKA office.
Most foreign residents also subscribe to a complementary health insurance fund that pays the portion of medical bills not covered by social security.
If you live in a remote area of Greece that isn’t covered by a local IKA office, you’ll have to pay the cost of any medical treatment in advance and re-claim it from the nearest IKA office. However, the refund will be only a proportion of the cost (up to around 85 per cent) and you will be responsible for the balance. If you receive treatment under these circumstances, it’s necessary to obtain receipts and documentation in order to make a claim.
I hope this helps – and that you won’t need to use the information! See you soon – have a great week.
Carol
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com
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