Public and private imperatives of Greek health policies.
Health care in Greece has historically developed into a multi-tier system, a mosaic of public and private providers of services covering the members of occupational social insurance organizations. In 1983 PASOK's socialist government established a unified National Health System. The aim was to arrest the growth of the private sector and promote the public sector to a dominant position. The socialist legislation has recently been reviewed by a conservative government that aims at a competitive mixed market of public and private providers. The growth of private health care, however, is not solely a matter of political support but also of new opportunities for profitable investments that arise from a shrinking public sector under economic and fiscal constraints.
Athens School of Public Health, Greece.
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Kyriopoulos
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Tsalikis
D006115:Greece; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000266:history*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000266:history* / Q000458:organization & administration; D017149:Private Sector; D011332:Privatization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017150:Public Sector; D012950:Socialism; D013222:State Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence