Italy

Quality of Italian healthcare?

By Dave - Posted on

12 April 2011

What sort of standards can I expect from the healthcare system in Italy as an expat? Is private health insurance realyl necessary or will I get access to affordable or free care by virtue of having a residence visa to live here?

Dave

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Last seen: 3 weeks 6 days ago

Joined: 02/19/2009

Living in:

Claremont, Cape Town

From:

Johannesburg

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Services are free once you have an Italian permit or Codice Fiscale which is like a Social Security Card. You get this within the first 8 days you are in the country. However be prepared to stand in line! Private healthcare is great if you want priority attention. But you can be lucky in the public system: I got an eye infection once and went to the ER, had a check up, was given medicine all for free! All in all, Italy's socialised healthcare is excellent and it rated very highly. And of course, the hospital food is generally great!

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