Health care in Greece is provided by the state through a universal health care system funded mostly through national health insurance, although private health care is also an option. According to the 2011 budget, the Greek healthcare system was allocated 6.1 billion euro, or 2.8% of GDP. In a 2000 report by the World Health Organization, the Greek healthcare system was ranked 14th worldwide in the overall assessment, above other countries such as Germany (25) and the United Kingdom (18), while ranking 11th at level of service. However, since July 2011, with the recent austerity measures, unemployed Greeks receive benefits for a maximum of a year, and after that period, health care is no longer universal and patients must pay for their own treatment.
Healthcare in Greece is provided by the National Healthcare Service, or ESY (Greek: Εθνικό Σύστημα Υγείας, ΕΣΥ).
Read more about Health Care In Greece: History, Hospitals, Statistics
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