Category: chronic conditions

Additional Rebate on High-Cost Medicines for 2025: What the New Decision Foresees

 

 

 

New National Patient Registry for Hospital-at-Home Care (NOSPI)

Patient care at home in Greece is becoming more organized and secure with the establishment of the National Registry of Patients Receiving Hospital-at-Home Care (NOSPI), as published in Government Gazette 1995/07.04.2026. The NOSPI program is already in pilot implementation at selected hospitals nationwide, with the goal of full development and operation by the end of 2026, including a digital platform and patient registry.

The new registry aims to systematically record patients receiving NOSPI services, ensuring that care is tailored to individual therapeutic needs. Patient groups eligible for inclusion include, among others, those with tracheostomies, on non-invasive mechanical ventilation, receiving long-term oxygen therapy, on parenteral or gastrostomy feeding, as well as those requiring intensive physiotherapy or mobility rehabilitation. Currently, enrollment primarily focuses on children with severe health conditions and chronically ill patients needing pulmonary care, in collaboration with pilot Reference Centers.

While the NOSPI program is already operating in a pilot phase, universal access for all patients in the country has not yet been achieved. Its development is gradual, with full operation—including digital infrastructure and registry-based documentation—planned by the end of 2026. Strengthening Hospital-at-Home care enables better monitoring and improvement of home care services for patients with long-term needs.

Through the registry, authorities can collect accurate and essential health data, enhancing the quality of services and supporting the design of targeted health policies. Implementation respects personal data protection in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ensuring transparency and public trust.

For families and caregivers, patient enrollment in the NOSPI National Registry means access to more coordinated care, with support delivered directly to their homes. Furthermore, documentation helps evaluate and improve home nursing services, enhancing patient safety and quality of life.

This initiative, combined with the development of the digital platform and registry, aims not only to upgrade home care services but also to reduce hospital congestion and ensure high-quality services for all patients in the future.

Sources (text in Greek) : Government Gazette NOSPI, ODIPY

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

Expansion of High-Cost Medicines Available Through EOPYY Private Pharmacies – What Changes for Patients

The Hellenic National Organization for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) is expanding the list of new high-cost medicines available through private EOPYY pharmacies, facilitating patient access to high-cost treatments. The recent decision was published in the Government Gazette.

This development represents another step toward simplifying patient access to high-cost therapies, reducing the need for physical visits to EOPYY pharmacies.

The new regulation includes the addition of further medicines, broadening the scope of the measure. Among these are treatments for multiple sclerosis, such as the active substance ocrelizumab, as well as anticancer agents like imatinib and capecitabine, widely used in oncology. This expansion is expected to significantly benefit more patients, who until now had to be served through specific distribution points, often facing longer waiting times. Patients will gain convenience and improved continuity of care, as access to treatments becomes faster and more reliable.

The option to collect medicines from private EOPYY pharmacies is expected to substantially improve patients’ daily lives, reducing hassle and enhancing accessibility, especially for those with chronic or serious conditions. This change is also part of the broader digital transformation of health services, aiming for a more flexible and patient-centered system. Healthcare providers will be able to monitor medicine distribution more efficiently, ensuring timely support and guidance for patients throughout their treatment.

According to the Government Gazette:

The start date of the medicine distribution process, with supply by EOPYY and final delivery at the private pharmacy specified in ministerial decision EΑLE/GΠ/oικ.51724/19-11-2025, as listed in the table below, is set as the date when EOPYY’s upgraded electronic platform (fyk.eopyy.gov.gr) becomes fully operational for the submission of patient requests under the new procedure defined in the above ministerial decision.

You can read the Government Gazette here (greek text)

Read our previous articles on the HCM procedure here and here

Text/Adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

New Collaboration between Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 and the Hellenic Federation of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (HFoPwMS)

Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 announces its new collaboration with the Hellenic Federation of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (HFoPwMS), strengthening synergies between organizations active in the field of health and patient support.

This collaboration aims to develop joint initiatives that will contribute to raising awareness, promoting public information, and providing meaningful support to people living with chronic conditions, with particular focus on cancer patients and persons living with Multiple Sclerosis. Through the exchange of knowledge, experience and good practices, the two organizations seek to strengthen actions that promote equal access to information, healthcare services and social inclusion for patients.

Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 is dedicated to supporting people living with cancer and their caregivers by providing reliable information, practical guidance and access to benefits and services. At the same time, the organization develops initiatives that enhance patients’ awareness of their rights and promote their psychosocial empowerment. Through initiatives such as Mobile Units, digital tools and educational programmes, Kapa3 promotes a patient-centred approach to cancer care, encouraging patients to actively participate in decisions concerning their health and quality of life, while fostering collaborations with organizations working in the fields of health and social support.

The Hellenic Federation of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (HFoPwMS) is a secondary non-profit organization founded in 2008 with the aim of uniting and supporting primary associations of persons with Multiple Sclerosis across Greece, while also raising awareness about the disease among the wider public. The Federation currently brings together nine primary patient associations from across the country. HFoPwMS implements awareness and advocacy initiatives related to Multiple Sclerosis and works to ensure the equal participation of people with MS in the educational, professional, athletic and cultural life of the country. It is a member of the National Confederation of Disabled People (ESAmeA) and the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP).

Within the framework of this collaboration, the two organizations plan to develop joint initiatives such as the organization of conferences, workshops and awareness events, the implementation of information and public awareness campaigns, participation in national and European programmes, as well as the development of joint research initiatives on issues related to patients’ quality of life. The partnership will also contribute to strengthening interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge exchange among organizations active in the health sector.

This new collaboration reflects the shared vision of the two organizations to strengthen the voice of patients and promote a society that respects, supports and empowers people living with chronic conditions.

High Cost Medicines: One More Addition to Help Patients – Up to Three People Can Now Collect on Their Behalf

As of Monday, February 16, 2026, High-Cost Medicines for cancer patients can now be collected by up to three designated representatives, offering greater flexibility and easier access to treatment through community pharmacies.

This new possibility is particularly important for patients who require regular access to High Cost Medicines but may have difficulty getting to the pharmacy or live far from a pharmacy. By allowing representatives, care becomes more flexible and adapted to everyday needs, while ensuring the safety and correct use of the treatment. In this way, access to therapy is faster, more human-centered, and free from unnecessary hassle.

In this first phase, the option applies to patients with cancer and multiple sclerosis, and it will gradually extend to other High Cost Medicines categories. The steps for collection remain the same: the insured person logs into the platform using Taxisnet + AMKA, selects the pharmacy of their choice, and monitors the progress of their order.

For more details, see our previous article.

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

Dispensing High-Cost Medicines (HCM) Through Private Pharmacies – What Changes for Patients

A recent Ministerial Decision (Government Gazette B’ 6333/27.11.2025) introduces significant changes to the distribution of High-Cost Medicines (HCM), allowing patients to receive these medicines not only from EOPYY pharmacies but also from private community pharmacies. This new framework replaces the 2020 regulation and aims to ease patient access, reduce inconvenience, and improve the delivery of essential therapies.

The list of HCM medicines included in this process is available in the corresponding Government Gazette here.

What Changes for Patients

  • The prescribing physician issues the prescription through the national e-prescription system (IDIKA).
  • Patients may choose to receive their medicine either from an EOPYY pharmacy or a private community pharmacy.
  • Through the dedicated HCM application (using Taxisnet credentials + AMKA), patients select the private pharmacy that will serve them.
  • Patients receive electronic notifications regarding the status of their order and the availability of the medicine for pickup.
  • Medicines are dispensed with zero patient co-payment.
  • The time from approval to pickup may not exceed 10 days.

What Changes for Private Pharmacies

Private pharmacists now assume an expanded role in handling High-Cost Medicines, with specific responsibilities and procedures.

  1. Medicine Receipt
  • The pharmacist scans the product’s barcode in the EOPYY system to complete the warehouse reconciliation process for EOPYY’s pharmaceutical depot.
  • The patient is automatically notified via the system once the medicine arrives at the pharmacy.
  1. Prescription Verification and Dispensing

The pharmacist must verify:

  • the patient’s identity or the presence of a valid authorization,
  • the accuracy of the prescription and its alignment with the prescribing physician’s instructions,
  • the correct medicinal product,
  • the presence of any required supporting documents,
  • the authenticity labels or deactivated safety features,
  • the physician’s signature and the recipient’s signature.

The pharmacist then signs and stamps the prescription to complete the dispensing process.

Failure to comply with these procedures may lead to sanctions under Presidential Decree 121/2008.

  1. Pharmacist Remuneration

For each dispensed HCM prescription, pharmacists receive:

  • a scientific service fee of €20.00 + VAT,

without the need to issue transport documents.

This cost is not included in the total pharmaceutical expenditure ceiling of EOPYY.

  1. Monthly Submission of Prescriptions

Every month, pharmacists must send:

  • the dispensed prescriptions,
  • the consolidated report,
  • and the service invoice
    to the EOPYY Department of Prescription Processing and Review.

Electronic images of prescriptions remain available for audit.

  1. Unexecuted Prescriptions

If a prescription is not executed:

  • the medicine is returned to the pharmaceutical company after 5 days,
  • and the company issues a credit invoice to EOPYY.
  1. Loss or Damage of Medicines

If the medicine is lost or damaged due to pharmacist responsibility,
EOPYY charges the pharmacist the procurement value of the product.

Why This Change Matters

The updated system:

  • reduces patient inconvenience,
  • relieves congestion in EOPYY pharmacies,
  • ensures faster access to essential therapies,
  • strengthens the role of community pharmacists,
  • and modernizes the distribution of High-Cost Medicines.

This development significantly improves the daily lives of patients who rely on regular access to specialized treatments — including many oncology patients. KAPA3 continues to stand by cancer patients and their families, offering reliable guidance and practical support so that every patient feels safe and fully informed about their rights and benefits.

Text/Adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3