Health Care

Citizens from EU countries

With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or the certificate that temporarily substitutes it, issued by the appropriate office in the Countries where they reside, all citizens of the European Union and those arriving from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, have the right to benefit from health services equal to those enjoyed by Italian citizens.

Possession of the EHIC card (when the period of stay lasts no longer than three months) gives entitlement to direct access to health services by applying directly to whoever provides the treatment and showing the card as the only condition required to obtain treatment according to the same rules in force for residents.
Forms E111 or E106 are necessary for a period of stay longer than three months.

General Practitioners and Freely Chosen Paediatricians

EU citizens can go directly to the surgeries of general practitioners and freely chosen paediatricians. Prescription of medicines, specialist tests and examinations, out-patient treatment and hospital admissions will be provided directly on the single Regional prescription form.

Pharmaceutics

Medicines prescribed on the Regional Health Service prescription forms will be dispensed pursuant to the regulations in force at national and regional levels, including those regarding contributions to the cost of medicines.

Specialist Treatment and Hospital Admissions

Accredited public or private specialised healthcare facilities provide the services requested and will also make a photocopy of the document certifying entitlement to it.

Citizens from non-EU countries

Foreign citizens regularly residing and working in Italy have the right to compulsory registration with SSN-Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (national health service), regardless of whether the residence permit has been issued for employment or self-employment. Their status as a “worker” must in any case be documented by showing a pay slip and/or a copy of the employment contract. The fundamental condition, however, is that the company for which the foreign citizen works must pay social security contributions and IRPEF (personal income tax) in Italy. 

What does “having the right to compulsory registration” mean?

It means that a non-EU citizen who is in Italy for reasons of employment, self-employment or research is subject to compulsory registration with the SSN in order to enjoy health rights and benefits. Registering with the SSN is free.

Benefits

Registering with the SSN allow to enjoy the following benefits:

  • choice of a general practitioner or freely chosen paediatrician
  • access to specialised medical treatment at the request of the general practitioner by paying the charge for it
  • medicines prescribed by the general practitioner

Necessary Documentation

The ASL where the foreign citizen registers with the SSN must by the one where he/she is registered as resident or where he/she habitually resides. The documents required for registration are as follows:

  • self-certification of residence or declaration of actual address
  • a valid residence permit or receipt of permit application
  • original copy of his/her tax payer’s code number
  • written undertaking to notify the ASL of any change of status
  • declaration by the company certifying that the foreign citizen pays contributions in Italy (where necessary)

Other Options

If on the contrary, the Visiting Professor elects to make use of the double taxation avoidance agreement and therefore will continue to pay taxes in his/her Country of origin, he/she will have two options:

  • taking out an insurance policy either in his/her own country and valid on Italian territory too or with an Italian insurance company
  • applying for voluntary registration with the Italian National Health Service and paying the set annual contribution.

The annual voluntary contribution for employed workers to be paid to the National Health Service in the Lombardy Region has been determined as €387.34. This contribution must be paid at a Post Office or a Bank to:
c/c postale (account number) n. 379222 
intestato a (payable to) P.T. Regione Lombardia 
causale (reason of the payment): iscrizione al SSN Anno ___  (SSN Registration for the year ___).

This annual contribution is valid from 1 January to 31 December of each year. It is therefore important to note that if a visiting foreigner arrives, for example, during November, and wishes to register voluntarily with the health service, the contribution paid would last only until the end of the following month, and he/she would have to pay the full contribution again in January.

The documents to be presented to the ASL is that described above, but in place of the declaration certifying payment of contributions in Italy, the receipt for payment of the contribution to SSN must be attached.