The Italian Law recognizes the right to health as a fundamental human
right. Foreign citizens with regular stay permit and their regularly
staying dependent family members are fully entitled to the same
treatment and civil rights as Italian citizens and also have the same
responsibilities, with reference to the contributory burden, and these
have the same validity in time of the stay permit.
In order to use Italian public health services you have to register with the ‘SSN' (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), the Italian National Health System. Registration can be mandatory or voluntary.
Mandatory registration with the Italian NHS (SSN) is required for regularly staying foreign citizens who are in Italy for the following reasons:
The following foreign citizens with a stay permit for more than three months and not entitled to automatic registration with the Italian NHS (SSN) can apply for voluntary registration:
Registration, implemented in the ASL (Local Health Authority) closest to your place of residence or abode, provides you with the SSN card which will enable you to access Italian health services and undergo free outpatient and in-home medical examinations and obtain prescriptions for medications and specialist services, as well as medical certificates for employees and for school readmission. You have to show your stay permit and taxpayer's code and choose a doctor from the list of available general practitioners/family doctors (GPs) or pediatricians (for under-14 children). The registration expires with your stay permit.
In emergency cases, when your GP or pediatrician is not available, you can contact by phone the doctor on duty (guardia medica). This service is usually operative at night and on holidays. The number to call varies depending on your location and can be found in the local directory.
The medicines prescribed by your doctor are available at the chemist's. Some drugs considered ‘life-savers' are free or are available on payment of a co-pay fee (ticket). Others, including the over-the-counter drugs that may be sold without a medical prescription, require payment in full. In your area you will always find a chemist's open at night and on holidays and each chemist displays information about this.
All citizens have to pay a co-pay fee (ticket) before undergoing specialist examinations, except for those entitled to exemption due to disability, chronic disease, status of inability, low income or age. For further information on the prerequisites for exemption and on the issuing of the exemption certificate you can refer to the exemption office of your ASL (Local Health Authority).
Women's Health
The Family Planning Clinic is a public social and health service that promotes the physical and mental health of women, couples, adolescents and children. The staff is made up of qualified doctors, such as gynaecologists, psychologists, nurses, social workers and lawyers. You can refer to the Family Planning Clinic, free of charge, for matters related to:
In order to use Italian public health services you have to register with the ‘SSN' (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), the Italian National Health System. Registration can be mandatory or voluntary.
Mandatory registration with the Italian NHS (SSN) is required for regularly staying foreign citizens who are in Italy for the following reasons:
- self-employment and employment or registration with the employment office
- awaiting employment
- family reasons, family cohesion, family reunification (except for parents aged 65 and over, reunified with regularly staying foreign citizens who are entitled to voluntary registration)
- political and humanitarian asylum requests
- political asylum
- humanitarian asylum, including: stay permit for social protection; minors; extraordinary reception measures for exceptional events
- stay permit for international or subsidiary protection
- adoption wait (no stay permit is issued to minors but they are entitled to the same rights as Italian minors assigned to foster families)
- fostering
- citizenship acquisition
- minors residing for health or treatment reasons
- stay permit for treatment during pregnancy and for childcare during the first six months of life
- stay permit for health reasons issued to foreign citizens who obtained a stay permit extension due to disease or accident at work
- detainees and inmates
The following foreign citizens with a stay permit for more than three months and not entitled to automatic registration with the Italian NHS (SSN) can apply for voluntary registration:
- students
- au pairs
- religious staff
- holders of a stay permit for elective residence
- over-65 unified parents
- employees of international organizations working in Italy, except for the cases regulated by international agreements
- accredited staff of diplomatic consular missions
- workers who are not obliged to pay the Italian income tax
- foreign citizens who take part in volunteer programmes
- researchers staying in Italy for scientific research purposes
- other categories not entitled to mandatory registration
Registration, implemented in the ASL (Local Health Authority) closest to your place of residence or abode, provides you with the SSN card which will enable you to access Italian health services and undergo free outpatient and in-home medical examinations and obtain prescriptions for medications and specialist services, as well as medical certificates for employees and for school readmission. You have to show your stay permit and taxpayer's code and choose a doctor from the list of available general practitioners/family doctors (GPs) or pediatricians (for under-14 children). The registration expires with your stay permit.
In emergency cases, when your GP or pediatrician is not available, you can contact by phone the doctor on duty (guardia medica). This service is usually operative at night and on holidays. The number to call varies depending on your location and can be found in the local directory.
The medicines prescribed by your doctor are available at the chemist's. Some drugs considered ‘life-savers' are free or are available on payment of a co-pay fee (ticket). Others, including the over-the-counter drugs that may be sold without a medical prescription, require payment in full. In your area you will always find a chemist's open at night and on holidays and each chemist displays information about this.
All citizens have to pay a co-pay fee (ticket) before undergoing specialist examinations, except for those entitled to exemption due to disability, chronic disease, status of inability, low income or age. For further information on the prerequisites for exemption and on the issuing of the exemption certificate you can refer to the exemption office of your ASL (Local Health Authority).
Women's Health
The Family Planning Clinic is a public social and health service that promotes the physical and mental health of women, couples, adolescents and children. The staff is made up of qualified doctors, such as gynaecologists, psychologists, nurses, social workers and lawyers. You can refer to the Family Planning Clinic, free of charge, for matters related to:
- Contraception
- Pregnancy
- Post-birth care and assistance in breastfeeding
- Vaccinations for infants and children
- Voluntary interruption of pregnancy
- Advice on anonymous childbirth
- Cancer prevention
- Sex education
- Eating disorders
- Family mediation in case of separation or divorce
- Fertility and sterility
- Fostering and adoption
- Violence and abuse of women and minors
- Support to couples or families suffering disadvantaged social or economic conditions
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Psychological support related to particular circumstances (adolescence, pregnancy, motherhood)
- Menopause
- Legal advice
No comments:
Post a Comment