Health care for foreign citizens and for citizens not registered with the National Health Service

Health care for foreign citizens and for citizens not registered with the National Health Service

Planned care

Citizens of EU and non-EU countries or Italian nationals residing abroad who are not registered with the Italian health service may undergo planned cancer diagnostic and therapeutic procedures at the Veneto Institute of Oncology. For more information, please contact the appropriate office at direzione.amministrativa.ospedale@iov.veneto.it. An initial evaluation will allow you to understand if you can start your journey at our Institute and the estimated costs of your cancer care (see below, “how to start”).

Patient-borne costs

In general, all costs for diagnostic services and planned care are the responsibility of the citizen not registered with the Italian national health service (SSN).
The rate applied is that of “self-pay”, as indicated by regional legislation. Therefore, a non-registered citizen is not required to pay private practice rates, unless he or she expressly intends to be cared for by a single professional from our Institute.
Advance payment is required for planned care.
EU citizens can receive diagnostic services and planned treatments at the expense of their own country by presenting the appropriate authorization form (called S2 form; ex E112) issued by the competent health institution. Further information is available in the website of the European Union.
Patients who have private health insurance will have to anticipate the full costs of services, then request reimbursement from their insurance companies.

How to start

To begin the process, please send an email to the direzione.amministrativa.ospedale@iov.veneto.it and specify:

  • name, surname, sex and age of the patient;
  • patient’s citizenship;
  • the type of tumor for which you are seeking treatment in our Institute;
  • all health records related to the cancer diagnosis (e.g., reports and radiological images such as CT or PET, biopsy reports and anatomical-pathological examinations such as histological or cytological examinations, reports of previous oncological visits), preferably translated into Italian or English.

The documentation will be forwarded to our specialists for evaluation. However, you can expect that an initial office visit with a specialist may be necessary to decide the most appropriate diagnosis and treatment path. No diagnosis or prognosis will be released or discussed via email.

Next, based on the indications provided by the specialist, an estimate for the total cost of care will be issued. The patient who accepts the estimate of costs will be asked to sign a commitment to pay, provide at least one identity document or other required documentation, and pay the amount indicated before the start of medical care.
At the end of this procedure, the certification necessary to apply for a medical treatment visa can be issued. This visa allows the legal stay in Italy for the entire duration of the programmed care.
All sensitive patient data will be processed, in compliance with current legislation, only for the purposes intended, i.e. the start of medical treatment, and will not be disclosed to third parties.

Urgent care

At our Institute, hospital services can also be provided in an emergency/urgent cancer care situation (services that cannot be deferred or programmed without risk for the patient’s life or health). In these cases, payment is postponed until the end of the service, if the burden is borne by the patient.
Italian citizens registered in AIRE are entitled to free urgent hospital treatment in accordance with the Italian legislation.

Registration with the National Health Service

Citizens of EU and non-EU countries with a valid residence permit are entitled to healthcare. To register with the National Health Service (SSN) and be issued a health card, you must contact the healthcare district and present your residence permit. Entry to the SSN is valid until the expiry date of the residence permit.

Foreign nationals awaiting regularization have the right to be admitted to the SSN for a renewable period of six months, until the residence permit is issued.

Non-EU citizens in an irregular position may apply for STP (Temporary Stay Foreigners) card, which entitles them to receive urgent healthcare. In Padua and its provice this card is issued by:

  • Administrative services of the individual health districts;
  • Admissions offices of the Central Emergency Department and the Obstetrics-Gynecology Emergency Entrance of the Padua City hospital;
  • Abano Terme hospital;
  • The Department for Dependencies Sert – via dei Colli 4, Padua;
  • Public Soup Kitchen, via N. Tommaseo 12-16, Padua;
  • Nocturnal Outpatient Clinics, via del Torresino 4, Padua.

The staff operating in the healthcare facilities, though having the status of public officials or public servants, are prohibited from reporting an illegal citizen to the authority.

VENETO REGIONAL CONTACT POINT FOR CROSS-BORDER HEALTHCARE

The Regional Contact Point offers information assistance to Italian patients who are abroad or who wish to travel abroad to benefit from health services, and to EU Member State patients in Italy or who wish to come to Italy and benefit from the health services provided by the public and private Italian healthcare system (SSN).

ITALIAN NATIONAL CONTACT POINT

The Italian National Contact Point (NCP) is instituted at the Ministry of Health to provide patients with information to facilitate their access to cross-border healthcare within the European Union.

Last modified: 03/10/2022 13:47

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