According to a new study by IOBE, during the first quarter of 2026, citizens’ direct payments for private healthcare services reached 3.3% of domestic GDP. This percentage is considered particularly high, as it significantly exceeds the corresponding European average, confirming the increased shift and financial burden on households towards private healthcare.
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The IOBE study highlights stark social inequalities in the healthcare sector, as in the lowest income quartile, 30% of citizens report suffering from chronic diseases, compared to 18% in the highest quartile. Similarly, unmet healthcare needs are multiple times higher among lower-income groups who cannot afford the amounts required for private healthcare.
The situation in long-term elderly care raises serious concerns, as public spending accounts for only 0.2% of GDP, one of the lowest rates in the European Union. As a result, care responsibility shifts to families and primarily to women, who bear the largest share of informal care.
Simultaneously, 38% of individuals belonging to lower income strata report facing serious difficulties in performing basic personal care activities or household tasks.
Long-term care remains in embryonic stage in Greece
According to IOBE data, long-term care represents one of the weakest social protection pillars in Greece. As the population ages rapidly, Greece continues to rely primarily on families for care provision, creating significant economic and social burdens, particularly for women.
Public spending on long-term care accounts for only 0.16% of GDP, compared to 1.71% in the EU, with Greece ranking among the lowest positions in Europe regarding care services financing. Lower income groups show greater difficulties in meeting care needs, while informal family care continues to constitute the dominant support mechanism.
