GIMBE Report: Italian healthcare access tied to income and location

The 9th Report on the National Health Service by the GIMBE Foundation reveals significant challenges in healthcare accessibility across Italy. The report indicates that the right to health is increasingly dependent on income and geographic location. In 2024, approximately 5.8 million people, or 9.9% of the population, reported renouncing medical visits or exams. This was driven by long waiting lists (affecting 4 million people) and economic constraints (affecting 3.1 million people).

Direct out-of-pocket spending by citizens reached 42.4 billion euros in 2025. Furthermore, spending at non-accredited private facilities saw a 169% increase between 2016 and 2024. Regional disparities are also evident, with interregional healthcare mobility reaching 5.15 billion euros in 2023, the highest level since 2010.

Specific regional assessments show deficiencies in essential levels of assistance (LEA). Sicily has been identified as failing to meet standards in the area of prevention. Other regions facing specific shortcomings include Calabria, which is insufficient in district assistance, and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, which also shows deficiencies in prevention.