Premium health insurance in Greece is facing another wave of increases in 2025, sparking allegations of oligopoly and criticism from Greece’s main opposition party.
A report at OT.gr notes that this year’s insurance hikes may be as high as 10%. This rise follows a trend of steep hikes, with premiums increasing by over 50% in recent years, largely attributed to “medical inflation” indexed annulation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE).
The issue of high health insurance in Greece has sparked political tensions, with Greek opposition parties PASOK/KINAL questioning the reliance on IOBE instead of ELSTAT for calculating these adjustments.
Concerns are mounting over oligopolistic practices in the private healthcare sector, where a few large hospitals dominate, driving some of the highest hospitalization costs in Europe, according to OT.gr.
The Hellenic Competition Commission’s ongoing investigation into the sector is expected to shed light on market conditions and pricing practices. With 965,000 hospitalization policies in force, the stakes are high, as public frustration grows over rising costs and the reliability of lifetime contracts.
This issue is set to take center stage in 2025 at the Greek Parliament, adding further political dimensions to an already heated debate.
