Students who are citizens of the European Union in order to receive the services offered by the National Health Service must obtain the new European Health Insurance Card.
The National Health Service provides a range of services to Italian and foreign citizens free of charge or upon payment of a participation fee (co-payment), through public or private contracted facilities.
The city of Parma has a public hospital and private clinics.
Persons enrolled in the National Health Service (SSN) are issued a health card . This document is individual and is used to access care (e.g., doctor visits, tests, hospitalization). When enrolling, the person chooses a family doctor or pediatrician, whose name is listed on the health card. Enrollment in the SSN is under charge. For foreigners the health card has the same duration as the residence permit.
For enrollment in the National Health Service, it is necessary to go to the District of the Azienda Usl of residence with a personal identity document, residence permit, self-certification of residence, and a slip for payment of the enrollment fee.
Special rules regulate assistance to foreign citizens temporarily staying in Italy for tourism, study or work and to Italian citizens residing abroad who temporarily return to Italy, again for tourism, study or work.
EU citizens residing in Italy enjoy the same treatment as Italian citizens, and this benefit also extends to non-EU family members who hold the right of residence (Legislative Decree 3/2007 implementing EU Directive 38/2004). Three months after entering Italy, the foreign EU citizen must register with the registry office of the municipality of residence and compulsorily enroll in the National Health Service, thus being able to choose a family doctor or pediatrician of choice for their children (for persons domiciled, registration with the National Health Service is valid for one year). Registration requires reporting to the District of the Azienda Usl of residence.
List of family physicians available for initial non-emergency treatment with daytime hours is posted below.
In case of medical necessity outside of working hours, a Guardia Medica service is available and active:
- by night: Monday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- by day:on holidays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and on holidays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More in-depth information is available on the medical watch webpage.
