The constant extensions and its annual budget, which has nearly doubled in six years
This year marks the seventh anniversary of the General Health System, whose sustainability is questioned by many, while a recent World Health Organization report highlights weaknesses and dysfunctions that are straining the system.
In less than five months, OKYPY must have achieved financial independence from the state and be able to cover its operating expenses primarily through revenue generated from providing services to the National Health System (GESY) andfrom the OAU, rather than relying on the state to cover its deficits.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The initial timeline called for OKYPY to achieve financial autonomy by May 31, 2024. This deadline was not met, and an extension was granted until May 31, 2025; subsequently, state coverage of the deficits was extended until December 31, 2026.
The question now is simple: Is OKYPY capable of standing on its own two feet financially without government coverage, and can the OAU reimbursement model through GESY ensure the sustainability of public hospitals, without further compromising the sustainability of the GESY itself?
GESY Revenues and Expenses for the Years 2019–2024
To date, the GESY’s financial statements have been published through 2024.
2019: Revenue of €489 million, expenses of €245 million, and a surplus of €244 million.
2020: Revenue of €945 million, expenses of €783 million, and a surplus of €162 million.
2021: Revenue of €1.329 billion, expenses of €1.364 billion, and a deficit of €35 million.
2022: Revenue of €1.483 billion, expenditures of €1.416 billion, and a surplus of €67 million.
2023: Revenue of €1.657 billion, expenditures of €1.500 billion, and a surplus of €157 million.
2024: Revenues of €1.839 billion, expenditures of €1.726 billion, and a surplus of €113 million.
For 2024, the OAU’s initial budget for Gesy was €1.663 billion. During the year, a supplementary budget of €94.3 million was required, which the House of Representatives approved, raising the spending limit to €1.757 billion.
Based on the latest data, the GESY reserve stands at approximately €707 million, which corresponds to about 4.6 months of payments.
In addition to all this, the World Health Organization, in its latest report on the National Health System (GESY), notes the need for changes in how GESY funds are allocated, since—as it identifies—the financial and operational incentives encourage the increased use of specialized services without always ensuring better outcomes for patients.
The OKYPY Budget
For 2026, the OKYPY budget was approximately €779 million. The main source of funding for public hospitals is payments from the OAU through the GESY. However, there was a €30 million deficit, which the government had to cover. The government provided an additional €40 million in 2025 to cover the operating deficit, which OKYPY should have been able to cover.
The problem, however, is that the annual budget of the State Health Services Organization has nearly doubled in six years.
2020: approximately €418 million
2021: approximately €467 million
2022: approximately €570 million
2023: approximately €573 million
2024: approximately €543 million
2025: projected at approximately €819 million
2026: projected at approximately €779 million
Total increase for 2020–2026: approximately €361 million, or 87%.
If the Organization’s financial autonomy is based primarily on an increase in reimbursements through the General Health System (GESY), the question arises as to whether the cost of OKYPY’s financial autonomy can be absorbed by the System itself without placing additional strain on its finances.
The fact that OKYPY continues to require state support, despite the revenue it receives through the General Health System (GESY), raises the question of whether the current reimbursement model is sufficient to cover the actual operating costs of public hospitals.
