A nine-year-old child in Heraklion, Crete, who has a hearing impairment, is at risk of not receiving the full financial support needed for hearing aids because part of the assistance is reportedly being used to cover debts owed by his parents to the state.
According to the child’s mother, the hearing aids are essential for her son to participate at school and communicate in everyday life. However, the family says the process of receiving the relevant benefits has been affected by outstanding tax obligations.
The issue concerns financial support provided for the purchase of hearing aids, with the family claiming that only part of the amount reaches them.
Family says benefit is reduced due to public debts
The mother said that while part of the support provided through Greece’s National Organization for Healthcare Services Provision (EOPYY) is protected from deductions, another payment intended to cover the cost of the hearing equipment is not protected under the same rules.
As a result, the family says this second amount is being offset against existing debts to the tax authorities, leaving the child without the full assistance required for the hearing devices.
The family argues that the financial support is intended specifically to cover the child’s medical needs and that losing part of it creates difficulties in obtaining the necessary equipment.
