Difficult days for the nine million insurers at Greece’s National Health Care Provider (EOPYY). As of September 1st, pharmacists refuse to give to patients prescription medicine on credit. patients have to pay from their own pockets and request refund by EOPYY. A refund that could be return to the payer several months later. As of today, private doctors assigned with EOPYY, will charge 20 euro to insured patients per visit.
Pharmacists and private doctors demand to be paid for outstanding debts.
The already broke health care system is threatened with a bigger collapse, as hospital doctors warn with protests demanding to be …paid and protesting possible additional wages cuts of 8%, a measure that would come with the new 11,5 billion euro package.
“EOPYY owes us 570 million euro from the previous years and 230 million euro for 2012. That’s an amount of 800 million euro,” the president of state hospitals doctors’ association Giorgos Eleftheriou told a Greek radio station on Monday morning. “We have funded the basic health care and thus without interest rates,” he added.
Private doctors’ protest is scheduled to last until next Friday. Pharmacists are to meet Health Minister on Monday. As for state hospitals doctors, well… I hope they show the same patience as we average Greeks do.
I was reading on a Sunday newspaper that the Troika tranche of 31 billion euro would be spent by the Greek state for recapitalization of banks (21 billion euro) and for overdue debts to suppliers (10 billion euro). I assume, private doctors and pharmacists are considered as “suppliers”. Otherwise the Total Collapse of the Greek Health Care would come as soon as possible and before Christmas.
PS As one can see, not a euro-cent would be used so that wages and pensions would be paid, not a single euro-cent reach the Greek people.
Just a reminder
A. Samaras, Athens, 03/05/2012:
A. Samaras promised, when in government, help for those on very low pensions and relief measures to households struggling to service their mortgages, saying loan payments must not exceed 30 percent of their income
At some point in the future, the top VAT rate should be cut to 19 percent from 23 percent now, and the top income tax rate to 32 percent from 45 percent.
The unpopular special property tax will be replaced by a new, single tax on properties that will be “fairer and more efficient”
government to increase social spending by 550m euros on specific groups, such as pensioners and large families
We will improve the very low pensions and large-family (four children or more) benefits,” Samaras added, ruling out across-the-board wage and pension cuts on top of those already agreed with the troika, specifically ruling out cutting the so-called 13th and 14th salaries (paid out at Christmas, Easter and summer) in the private sector
Samaras said he would
My God! These statements were made looooong time ago. Even Samaras does not remember them anymore.
Indeed, a week is a long time in politics. These statements where made 3 months ago.
I would think Samaras would only be too happy to claim amnesia and anything else that helps, and counts on the Greek people to do same. Can’t go holding a politician to his/her word now can you? That would cause all sorts of intolerable situations…
I quit TEVE 6 months ago. Have now a foreign health insurance. But I was told to keep my book, because I am still fully ensured until the end of this year. Despite the fact that I won’t pay any TEVE-contributions this year… Crazy. Totally crazy the systems in this country.
Does anybody know if I could transfer my book to someone who needs it? Or is that way to illegal.
your TEVE book? with your name on it? lol
how about pension?
What’s in a name… There is no photo. Have you ever seen the adias you get from the Greek police? Any kindergarden ‘student’ can copy and change them.
And WHAT pensions? By the time I would be able to claim it there would be nothing left at all.
At the moment I pay 17.9% on my REAL net income for pensions and 100 euro/month for health insurance (all medicines and full dental included). Compare that to the fixed 500+ euro (and rising) I paid to TEVE. I always had to pay the dentist and almost never managed to get any of my medicines payed by that bunch of crooks. Oh, and at the moment that pension would be around 1500 euro/month. Not the pittance they call pension here. And when my real income is down, because my pension payment is a percentage, I will pay less in real terms. Only when I make big bucks, I will pay big premiums. Not like here, where the guy who owns a big firm with hundreds of employees and who makes big profits, pays the same amount of TEVE as a small time guy with a marginal business. How’s that for solidarity.
they want to make insurance funds contributions electronically and blah blah blaph…
I asked in general about pension because you mentioned only health insurance.
BTW: i think, I’ll join your social security sheme. send me their email.