Italy pushes reforms to curb long health‑care waiting lists

Regional officials and the national government are taking steps to reduce the high numbers of delayed medical appointments in Italy. In Campania, President Roberto Fico announced that patients who miss a scheduled visit or exam without cancelling will still have to pay the ticket, stressing the need for citizens to cancel appointments via the regional app or phone service. Nationwide data released by the Agenzia Nazionale per i Servizi Sanitari Regionali (Agenas) shows that in the first half of 2026 about 2.8 million specialist visits and diagnostic exams were still scheduled beyond the guaranteed time limits, while 1.6 million appointments were delivered within the guarantee compared with the previous year. The report notes regional differences: Trentino’s waiting times have worsened, whereas the Province of Bolzano shows improvement; Basilicata leads with a 98.9 % on‑time rate. In Sicily, a parliamentary inquiry highlighted severe understaffing in Siracusa’s oncology department and a partially operational hospice, urging urgent action. Health ministerial and local authorities say the measures aim to increase efficiency, recover unused slots, and align with the 2024 law that created a real‑time monitoring platform for waiting lists.