The bill approved by the government defines mobilization of additional resources for the health sector totaling 5 billion euros overall. The final figure claimed by the Presidency of the Council rests on a two-track framework: on one hand the direct refinancing of the structures and services of Italy’s National Health Service, and on the other a form of economic support distributed outside the Health Fund.
Details of the increase to the health sector
Specifically, the ordinary endowment of the National Health Fund – FSN receives an injection of 3.4 billion euros, reaching in 2027 a historic ceiling of 146.3 billion euros. In addition to this allocation, 1.6 billion euros of off-fund resources are allocated to the chapter of social and socio-health support for the elderly population.
National Health Fund and spending priorities: staffing, ceilings and dedicated interventions
The increase of 3.4 billion euros allocated to public health is certainly meaningful, even if it falls short of the Health Minister’s request of 5.5 billion and the Regions’ request of 6.8 billion euros—and it aims to address some of the main operational weaknesses of the care system. The objective, as highlighted by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci and Undersecretary of State for Health Marcello Gemmato, is to strengthen the resilience of public health and support health professionals.
The intervention items foreseen by the bill include:
– Emergency-urgent care: a portion of the additional resources is expressly earmarked to economically valorizate emergency room physicians, with the goal of countering staff shortages, disengagement, and the organizational challenges of frontline care.
– Industrial governance and payback: the plan calls for raising the ceilings for payback (with estimates around 1.5 billion euros) and introducing incentives in the form of reductions for businesses that invest on the national territory.
– Efficiency and chronic diseases: the measure includes allocations dedicated to tariff modernization for acute hospitalizations, support for activities to combat Alzheimer’s disease and dementias, and 300 million dedicated to reducing waiting lists.
Nevertheless, allocations to strengthen prevention programs and expand the reach of cancer screenings remain excluded.
€300 vouchers for seniors: eligibility and scope
The principal direct-to-citizen support measure consists of the establishment of a €300 health voucher, aimed at the population aged at least 75 years with pension income not exceeding €28,000 per year.
The measure, which according to the government’s estimates will reach about 5.5 million beneficiaries, aims to reduce the financial impact of medical expenses borne directly by families. The voucher can be used to cover costs of health services not fully covered or only partially covered by the SSN, such as purchasing medications and access to private specialist visits or in-network private care.
Following the Cabinet’s approval, the bill now goes to Parliament, where the individual provisions and the implementing provisions will be detailed before taking effect.
Abbonati a Karla Miller
