Italy healthcare costs: families face high expenses for specialized care

In Italy, families are facing significant financial burdens due to the costs of specialized medical care and long-term assistance. One family reports spending over 23,000 euros annually on therapies for a child with Moebius syndrome, a rare neurological condition. The family states that the local health authority (Ulss) refuses to reimburse these treatments, labeling them as ‘not necessary,’ despite the therapies being essential for the child's ability to communicate and eat independently.

Separately, regarding Alzheimer's care, legal precedents are highlighting that families may not always be responsible for the full cost of residential care (RSA) fees. Under the principle of ‘indivisibility of services,’ when daily assistance is strictly linked to medical treatment, the healthcare component may be covered by the National Health Service. Recent court rulings have seen families recover significant sums, such as over 129,000 euros in a case involving the Court of Appeal of Venice, challenging the misconception that all RSA costs must be paid by the family.