Free healthcare for refugees and uninsured Greeks

Draft legislation submitted to Parliament by the government allows refugees and uninsured Greeks to receive free healthcare and medicines but the details of how this will happen have to be set out by a ministerial decision in the future.

The provision is included in a bill that SYRIZA claims contains elements of its “parallel program” and which is due to be voted on in the next few days. It grants free healthcare to Greeks without the necessary social security credits, foreigners living in Greece legally, refugees, asylum seekers, minors and pregnant women.

It is estimated that providing this medical care will cost around 100 million euros per year.

The legislation requires a ministerial decision to be issued to set out more detailed conditions for those eligible to receive free medical care. SYRIZA had promised to do this when it was first elected in January but the legislation passed in 2014 continues to apply to date.