Italy to Provide Free Health Insurance for School Teachers and Staff Starting September

A decree‑law issued on 14 March 2025 establishes a free health‑insurance scheme for Italy's school personnel, covering the period 2026‑2029. The service, worth about €320 million for the four‑year term, is awarded to a consortium formed by Uni Salute S.p.A., Intesa Sanpaolo Protezione S.p.A. and Poste Assicura S.p.A., following a tender run by the Ministry of Education and Merit.

The plan will benefit permanent and temporary teachers, school administrators, educational staff in residential schools and Ministry employees. Covered benefits include hospitalisations for major surgeries, severe illnesses, oncology and cardiology treatments, diagnostic exams, childbirth (including cesarean), dental prevention and implants, and certain post‑hospital care. Some services will require a co‑payment by the insured.

Exclusions comprise purely aesthetic procedures, pre‑existing conditions, infertility treatments, mental‑health disorders except for non‑self‑sufficiency, injuries linked to alcohol, drugs or professional sports, and other specified limits. Details on the exact start date, whether enrollment will be automatic or require a request, and the process for accessing contracted facilities and reimbursements remain unclear. Minister Giuseppe Valditara has indicated that coverage should begin in the autumn, while the teachers’ union ANIEF has called for a precise calendar and a national circular to clarify the implementation.