The increase in contributions for healthcare, from 4% to 6% in main pensions and from 0% to 6% in supplementary pensions, will cost pensioners about 700 million euros.
This hike in contributions is not related to the across-the-board pension cuts that were previously introduced and subsequently declared unconstitutional.
According to the legislation, the healthcare contributions will be diverted directly into EOPYY and healthcare services, rather than going towards the state budget or public debt payments.
The hike comes into effect as of July 2015 and translates into a 2% reduction for about a million pensioners who only receive a main pension and a 6% cut for supplementary pensions.
The measure will be implemented for the payment of September’s pensions – the cuts for July and August will be implemented retroactively in three equal installments in October, November and December.
