The hospital treatments in Italy are not generally for free. We are not talking about emergencies and rush to the hospital care which are always free, but we refer to:
- Specialist visits (doctor appointments, blood and other tests);
- Prescription drugs;
- Certain ER admissions;
- Thermal treatment.
The above mentioned treatment requires the patient to pay for it in part (normally minimal), and the payment is named ticket.
Ticket payment exemption
There are certain circumstances in which the patient is exempted from paying any ticket, thus accessing the above mentioned treatments for free (or at a highly reduced rate). The following exemptions are granted:
- 6 years or less, 65 years or more
- Low income families
- Medical conditions (i.e. diabete)
- Certified disability
Any of the above conditions grants the right to waive ticket payments.
How much is the ticket?
Every region has different ticket payments required based on the type of treatment sought after, the national law provides the standard rate for the ticket and each Region can increase or decrease it.
The ticket for specialist visits is set at € 36.15, however in certain Regions this amount is increased to € 46.15.
Each Region provides different ticket prices for different prescription drugs, and this varies on the cost of the drug itself, the use of the generic formula (instead of the branded one), or the household income level. Once again, it is not possible to have a comprehensive list of the costs for such medication.
Since 2007, the ER admission might request a ticket payment. Once every patient is admitted, he is assigned a color code based on the risk associated to his condition:
- White;
- Green;
- Yellow;
- Red.
White code is assigned to ER admissions which don’t end up in hospitalization or other treatment, and this is the only case when you need to pay for ER admission.
The whole idea behind the ticket is to reduce low risk admissions to the ER to decongest it.
Patient of 14 years of age or less are also exempt from ticket payment
How to pay the ticket?
There are different ways to pay your ticket. You can do it online in your Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico private area, or you can pay it in cash at vending machines placed at the hospital. Finally, you can pay it in person at the hospital admission centre.
If you fail to pay the ticket within 30 days, the local ASL mails you a letter of reminder, adding a fine (normally not exceeding € 20) and a term for settlements; failure to meet this other deadline, authorizes ASL to send the bill to Agenzia delle Entrate Riscossione who can in turn enforce the collection just like any other tax bill overdue.
