Interest groups and health system reform in Greece

Abstract:

Despite the establishment of the National Health System in Greece in the early 1980s, the institutional framework remained largely unchanged due to opposition from interest groups and large set-up costs, thus allowing the powerful stakeholders to preserve their privileges. Not until almost two decades later was reform attempted in order to rationalise and modernise purchasing and delivery. The objective of this paper is to analyse the ambitious reform attempt of 2000 through the lens of rational choice institutionalism, identifying the initial goals of the reform, the reactions of the key stakeholders and the legislative outcome.