Do doctors charge a fee in Italy? (2023)

Do you have to pay for doctors in Italy?

Is healthcare free in Italy? Healthcare in Italy is not free, but the fees are usually quite reasonable and Emergency Medical Assistance is provided to anyone in need, regardless of their nationality, without asking for upfront payment. Healthcare in Italy is provided to anyone with a mixed Public and Private system.

Italy Healthcare System

The national health service in Italy, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), provides residents with free or low-cost healthcare that includes access to general practitioners (GPs), treatment at public hospitals, subsidised medicines, lab services, ambulance services and certain specialist care.

Healthcare Costs in Italy

Treatments that require surgery or hospitalization in public hospitals are also free of charge. However, you are asked to copay some prescribed procedures and specialist visits. This copayment is around 36 EUR (39 USD) for every prescription.

Travelers who are accustomed to this type of medical system often explore travel medical insurance options before departing for another country. But is that really necessary when traveling to Italy? In Italy, healthcare is generally free.

In Italy, patients are free to choose between public hospitals and private hospitals. Public hospitals normally provide both emergency and non-emergency services. At public hospitals, patients may receive emergency services at no cost or upon payment of a limited contribution, depending on the public hospital's policy.

As you are probably aware, your U.S. health insurance usually does not travel with you beyond U.S. borders. If you sign up for the National Health Plan in Italy, you will need private insurance only for those conditions, treatments, providers, and share of costs that are not covered by the SSN.

through the post office payment system; at the “Punto Giallo” pay stations in hospitals and clinics; at Tobacconists (Tabacchi) that have the T-SERVE payment set up.

In most situations, Medicare won't pay for health care or supplies you get outside the U.S. The term “outside the U.S.” means anywhere other than the 50 states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Travel Requirements for Italy

International travelers visiting Italy will need to have travel insurance with a minimum coverage of 30,000 (about $50,000 USD) to satisfy the Schengen Visa requirements. For non-U.S. residents, travel insurance must be purchased before the issuance of your Schengen Visa.

Surgeries and hospitalization provided by public hospitals or by conventioned private ones are completely free of charge for everyone, regardless of their income.

How much does a CT scan cost in Italy?

The average price of ct (computer tomography) in Italy is $460, the minimum price is $390, and the maximum price is $520.

According to a recent study, the average retail price in pharmacies for pharmaceutical drugs in Italy was 9.6 euros per package in 2021.

This average is based on 8 price points. It provides a decent estimate, but it is not yet reliable. Latest update: March 30, 2022.

If you don't have an EHIC as an EU citizen, you'll need to get private health insurance in order to receive care. If you have neither, you will only have access to: Necessary and urgent care, health care for children, maternity care, and a voluntary termination of pregnancy.

In case of an emergency, for immediate medical attention or to call an ambulance dial 112 from any telephone in Italy. No country code is necessary if calling from within Europe.

While no system is perfect, Europe's universal health care does mean that everyone is taken care of — including foreigners. So if you get sick or injured while traveling, you will receive treatment, no questions asked.

Dentists. All dental care is private in Italy, so dental insurance is a good idea if you want to make sure you're covered. Some bigger dental procedures, including tooth removal and even the fitting of removable braces, are a lot cheaper in Italy than they are elsewhere in Europe.

Basic medical care is free. Additional care should be a patient's financial participation. The maximum participation ranges from 36 to 46.15 euros by region. For free or reduced-rate, consult a registered doctor or go to the local unità sanitarie, which are health centres accredited by the SSN.

Your Compass Rose Medicare Advantage Plan covers care even when you're traveling outside the United States just as if you were in the United States. UnitedHealthcare will reimburse you for any covered services or prescriptions you may need while traveling minus any copays that may apply.

Who has best healthcare in the world?

Voluntary Public Health Insurance

Getting access to public health insurance in Italy is voluntary if you are staying in Italy for over 3 months and the reasons for your presence are not the ones listed above. For example, students, volunteers, and employees of international organizations fall into this category.

In order to retire to Italy, a foreign citizen must comply with a few requirements. Among these, the foreign citizen must be retired and have a minimum annual income of EUR 31,000. For married couples seeking to retire in Italy, the minimum amount necessary is EUR 38,000.

Should I take my Medicare card to Europe? There is no reason to bring your Medicare card to Europe, as doctors in European countries will not accept your Medicare coverage as insurance.