Pensioners Health Care

This Pensioner's Health Care Page is from the Completely Crete Living in Crete Health Section.

From the British Embassy in Athens

Pensioners Health Care

British residents in Greece should apply to the Pension Service for the following forms when they require long-term health cover.

If the British resident in is receipt of a state pension then they need to apply to the UK Pension Service for an E121 form. When they receive this, they should complete it and take it to their local IKA office. They will be issued with an IKA health booklet in exchange.

This booklet can then be renewed by IKA each year - normally a fresh E121 will be needed for each renewal. Under normal circumstances, the person who receives a pension is entitled to name his/her spouse as a dependent and this renders the dependent person eligible to apply for an E121 from the Pension Service and therefore obtain a separate health booklet.

Unlike the UK, Greece, at the present time, does not recognise partnerships - be it man & woman or same sex - so it is therefore not possible for a partner to be listed as a dependent.

If a person is not a pensioner he/she can apply to the UK Pension Service for an E106 form. This form should then be taken to the IKA office and will be exchanged for a health booklet. However, in this instance, the booklet will only be issued for a maximum of 2 years.

Furthermore, to enable a pension to be paid directly into a Greek Bank Account, a form must be obtained from the Pensions Service. This needs to be completed by the pensioner giving all his/her Greek Bank Account details and sent back to the Pension Service who will then make the necessary arrangements.

The Pensions Service

Tyneview Park
Medical Benefits
Newcastle
NE98 1BA
Tel: (0044) 191 2181999
Email: TVP.internationalqueries@thepensionservice.gsi.gov.uk