HIO approves 932 requests for Gesy treatment abroad in first year

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) approved 932 of 1,304 requests for Gesy beneficiaries to receive medical treatment abroad during the first year after responsibility for the process was transferred to it. The referrals concerned patients requiring services that could not be provided in Cyprus through Gesy within the necessary timeframe.

Urgency and admission times

Since October 2025, 24 cases have been classified as life-threatening and another 86 as emergencies.

According to the HIO, the average time between submitting a request and admission to a hospital abroad was 1.5 days for life-threatening cases, five days for emergencies and 22 days for non-urgent cases.

Destinations and medical specialties

During the first 12 months under the HIO’s management, Germany accounted for the largest share of hospital referrals at 28.4 per cent, followed by Greece at 21.2 per cent, the United Kingdom at 18.5 per cent and Israel at 11.7 per cent.

The medical specialties with the highest numbers of referrals were haematology, oncology, paediatrics, orthopaedics and ophthalmology.

The HIO also arranged 101 medical air transfers to European countries and Israel. These included 48 non-urgent cases, 30 emergencies and 23 life-threatening cases.

Eligibility and priorities

All registered Gesy beneficiaries are entitled to submit requests for treatment abroad if the required services are included in the scheme’s benefits package but cannot be provided in Cyprus within a reasonable timeframe.

The HIO said it was systematically monitoring the process and had already strengthened its network of medical air transport partners.

Its priorities for the coming period include reducing the time needed to arrange transfers, improving medical coordination with treating physicians and hospitals abroad, and ensuring the timely handling of life-threatening emergencies.