The Health Insurance Organization (HIO) has introduced a structural reform regarding the management of patients sent abroad for healthcare services. This reform represents a significant revision of the governance and operational framework for cross-border healthcare within the GHS (ΓεΣΥ), aiming to streamline processes, enhance clarity and ensure efficient management of cases requiring treatment abroad.
As of 2 October 2025, the HIO is responsible for processing and approving all overseas referral requests for GHS beneficiaries when the required medical service falls within the GHS benefits package and cannot be provided in Cyprus due to limitations in expertise, technology or clinical conditions. Requests for non-GHS beneficiaries will continue to be managed centrally by the Ministry of Health.
The HIO has also clarified that certain categories of services do not fall under its responsibility. These include interventions not sufficiently tested or recognized by conventional medicine, treatments in an experimental stage, requests relating solely to drug administration, non-conventional medical practices, telemedicine services and retroactive requests for services already received. Applications in these categories will continue to be overseen and processed by the Ministry of Health.
To ensure timely processing, the HIO has introduced a classification system with specified assessment timelines. Regular cases—those without strict time constraints—are evaluated within 15 days. Urgent cases, requiring accelerated management, are processed within 7 days, with the HIO typically completing assessments within 4 days. Life-threatening cases, requiring immediate attention, are processed within 2 days, with evaluations usually finalized within 24 hours.
The HIO has established a list of collaborating international hospitals for the provision of approved services abroad. However, beneficiaries retain the right to select a hospital outside this list. In such cases, and upon approval of the request, the beneficiary and their treating physician must make all necessary arrangements related to scheduling and admission. Coverage remains subject to the terms of the approved referral.
More information: Health Insurance Organization Announcement (in Greek).