Healthcare in Italy for expats

Italy’s National Health Service receives funding through federal tax revenues. Care is extended to all legal residents, mostly for free or at nominal costs. This system requires no deductibles.

Italy provides universal coverage through its National Health Service, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN). The SSN has offered urgent and essential medical services to undocumented people since 1998, while Italian citizens and legal residents have benefited from this system since 1978. Healthcare delivery is decentralized across 100 local health units, providing services ranging from primary care to mental health.

All legal residents in Italy have a right to public healthcare. Anyone staying in the country beyond 90 days is required to have coverage. Roughly 10% of the population carries additional private insurance, which may provide quicker care access, choice of specialists, and better amenities for elective procedures.

Italy’s pharmacies (farmacia) can be readily identified by a large green cross. Many are open 24 hours a day. While over-the-counter medications require payment, doctor prescriptions are free or heavily subsidized.

Here are some examples of what residents pay for health services: Doctor visits Costs Primary care physician €0 Specialist visit €13 - €21 Hospital stays (fees vary for out-of-pocket) €0 Tier 1 drugs €0 - €3 Tier 2 drugs Not covered Dental care (free for under 14) €30

To find your general practitioner (GP), simply check availability for the physicians in your area, either online or by phone. Another source is Doctors In Italy website. You can choose any GP you prefer, provided that their patient list hasn’t exceeded the maximum of 1,500 for GPs or 800 for pediatricians. Group practices of 3-8 GPs are common here, especially in the north. GPs cannot bill patients for any procedures delivered.

In order to see a specialist in the public system, you’ll need a referral from your GP. Patients can choose the hospital for their specialist, but not the specialist themselves. Payment rates are determined regionally, using national average rates for guidance. If you have private insurance in Italy, you can contact your insurer directly for recommendations or a list of approved providers, including specialists and dentists.

The U.S. Embassy in Rome and the Consulates General in Milan, Florence, and Naples prepared the following listings of hospitals, English-speaking doctors, ambulances, laboratories, and pharmacies as

a service to U.S. citizens:

Medical Assistance Lists (by Consular District):

• Consular District of Milan - Consular District of Florence - Consular District of Rome - Consular District of Naples