The national health scheme (GHS) will implement price adjustments for prescription medications starting Monday, affecting patient contributions at private pharmacies, with some drugs becoming more expensive while others will cost less.
The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) announced that 181 medications will see price increases, while 126 will become cheaper. Prices for 2,173 drugs will remain unchanged under the scheme. The changes follow the health ministry’s annual review of the national drug price list, which takes effect each February.
Of the medications facing increases, 167 will see rises of less than 3 euros, six will increase by 3-5 euros, five by 5-10 euros, and three will increase by more than 10 euros, HIO director Athos Tsinontides told Phileleftheros.
“This is an annual process resulting from the health ministry’s price list update,” Tsinontides said, adding that patients can switch to cheaper alternatives in consultation with their doctors or pharmacists, who are legally permitted to substitute medications with less expensive versions in the same category.
For medications outside the national health scheme, the updated price list shows increases for 488 drugs and decreases for 1,827, while 930 remain unchanged. Among the total 6,081 medications listed, 2,836 were not reviewed as they either cost less than 10 euros or are non-prescription drugs whose prices are market-determined.
Patients can check price changes through the GHS website or by consulting their pharmacists.
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