You have made your choice and are moving abroad. This means that one of the most important things you need to arrange is your health insurance. When you move abroad, you can no longer remain insured with your Dutch health insurance. When you have deregistered with the Dutch municipality, you are also legally no longer allowed to be insured with a Dutch health insurer. Pay close attention to this, because otherwise you could get into trouble. Furthermore, when you move abroad, you have emigration to Italy also no use for travel insurance, because you are going to live there. You must then register with an Italian health insurance fund with the declaration of registration. Do you want to know more about health insurance in Italy? Then read this article quickly.
Are you required to have insurance in Italy?
If you are moving to Italy, it is good to know that in Italy they have a national health care system. This is called the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN). This is a free health care system for all residents of Italy. This system works very well, because by paying taxes in Italy you automatically participate in the health care system. In this way, everyone not only has the right to health care, but they also actually receive it.
Employer and taxes
When you go to work in Italy, your employer will pay this amount to the government. They do not need permission for this and this will happen automatically. Employers are obliged to do this. You can also insure your family in this way. Think of your spouse, children or other family members who live with you.
Foreigners and insurance
This is only for public health care and not for private health care. You have to take out this yourself, if you want to. Many Italians think that they have enough with this public care, but often foreigners in the country are more reassured when they also take out private health insurance.
Italian healthcare: a whole hassle
The Italian government, despite the good provision of health care, which is generally a right for all Italians, has to endure a lot of criticism. This is due to the fact that the health care in the country does not focus on promoting the health of Italians, but rather on treating diseases. A good example of this is that in Italy they have almost no preventive medication and that regular health checks are also almost non-existent.
These are also the main reasons why many foreigners in Italy choose to take out private health insurance.
Why is healthcare in Italy such a hassle?
There is a great shortage of healthcare personnel which results in very long waiting lists. The hospitals are often dilapidated and there are often too many people in a ward. Because of this, you will unfortunately not have much privacy. It also often happens that family members bring food, because the food in the hospitals is often not good. It also happens regularly that due to the shortage of staff, people even forget to hand out food.
Italian culture
So you see that when you are sick in a country like Italy you can have a lot of help from family and friends. In Italian culture family and friends are also important and they take care of each other in such times.
Types of health insurance in Italy
As you have read before, in Italy they have the national health care where you pay the premium through your work. This is a contribution that is collected through taxes. In this way, everyone has the right to health insurance.
And then you have what we discussed earlier, private health care. This again reimburses other things that public health care does not. And then of course there is also international health insurance.
Private health care
If you receive a pension in the Netherlands, you are not entitled to free health care in Italy. In this case, you can take out private health insurance, or 'assicuranzione sulla salute'. You must fill out a form to complete your application. When taking out private health insurance, pay close attention to the type of contract the insurance company offers. They often have contracts where you can no longer switch health insurers due to the type of contract and you are sometimes tied to it for 5 years.
Insurance companies
You can find these insurers in the 'Instituto Nazionale delle Assicuarazioni' (INA). This used to be run by the Italian government, but was later privatized. Some companies are Europa Assistance, Filo Diretto, Pronto Assistance and Sanicard.
Private health care costs
The costs for private insurance vary greatly. But to give you a good indication, we can say that the costs for a family of 4 will be approximately between €1300 and €2000 per year. For older people, the premiums are often a bit more expensive.
Special rates
Many health insurers also offer special rates for families. They call this the 'polizza per nucleo familiare'. You can also take out additional coverage in the event of loss of income, also called the 'polizza di idennitá gioarnaliera'. Think of this, for example, if you were to become disabled after an illness or accident.
The previously mentioned examples are situations that you should think about carefully. We understand that these are not fun things and that you do not want to focus on them, but we advise you to do this anyway, because you do not want to end up with high bills or no income abroad.
Coverages
The 'Servizio sanitario nazionale' (SSN) covers hospital and doctor visits and medicines. You are entitled 75% to a discount on the cost of outpatient care, you receive free or subsidized medicines, stay in hospital for free and receive subsidized dental care.
Expectations of the Italian healthcare system
We must mention that the hospitals where patients can go are not very luxurious. You will notice the difference with the Dutch hospitals, but you often have that abroad.
General Practitioner in Italy
If you have successfully completed your registration after moving and have been able to take out Italian health insurance, you may then choose your own GP. However, you must choose doctors from a special list, because otherwise you are not entitled to reimbursement via the health insurance.
Children and GPs
It is very common in Italy for children to have their own doctor and not the same GP as their parents. It is often the case that children register with a new doctor after they turn 16.
Opening hours
The GPs are open from 08:00 to 10:00 during the week, after which they close and then work again from 15:00 to 17:00. They are completely closed on weekends. After moving, it is wise to look at these kinds of things carefully.
Be on time!
In Italy you really have to be on time for a doctor's appointment, because it is "first come, first served". This means that if you are late once you have to wait a very long time. However, we think that after experiencing this you will quickly unlearn being late and will not let it happen again. Furthermore, the GP can prescribe you medication or refer you to a specialist. This shows that there is more to moving than just taking your belongings with you.
Medicines and public health
When you get a prescription for medicines from your GP, you can always pick them up at the pharmacy. So when you use the public health insurance in Italy, you get discounts on medicines. This is because the government partially reimburses the costs.
Medicines and private health care
Do you not have a public health insurance fund, but are you only privately insured? Then you always have to pay the entire amount, because the private health insurer will not reimburse this. So you see that with private insurance you also have extra contributions.
A good preparation
As they say from time immemorial: good preparation is half the battle. In addition, health insurance is extremely important. Whether you live in the Netherlands, Italy or somewhere else. This is something that needs to be arranged properly, because otherwise you will simply not be entitled to medical assistance in some situations. Are you entitled to medical assistance somewhere? Then you will have to pay the bill yourself and the medical world is very well known for its high bills.
When you read all this, the choice is quickly made, right? So make sure you arrange everything properly so that you will not run into unnecessary problems later.
Finally
Do you want to work or live in Italy? Then you can always be sure of the health care in the country. Especially when you make sure that you register quickly with an Italian insurer.
Do you have an income as an employee? Then it is arranged through the taxes that you are insured and you receive an insurance policy from the public health care in Italy.
